Japanese Tea Garden - in Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, TX USA
N 29° 27.666 W 098° 28.598
14R E 550748 N 3259187
This metal plaque next to the elaborate entryway into the Japanese Tea Garden tells of the impact World War 2 had on this Tea Garden, its caretaker, and why this sunken garden had its name changed twice.
Waymark Code: WM13XHM
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 03/07/2021
Views: 3
The large plaque is mounted on a sloped base close to side of the oriental, elaborately decorated entrance arch into the Japanese Tea Garden, sometimes referred as The Sunken Gardens. For the well traveled or multi-lingual visitor, this plaque will explain why a Chinese-styled embellishment and Chinese text are at a location designed as a Japanese garden with Japanese plants and referred to as the Japanese Tea Garden.
It has been over 80 years since the beginning of World War II, when Japan bombed the US Navy base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This aggressive act by Japan drew the US military into World War 2. As the text on the sign says, the fear and resentment of Americans toward the Japanese at that time caused the City of San Antonio to remove the Japanese reference and to rename to garden as a "Chinese Tea Garden." However, by 1983, a generation had passed and the City of San Atonio restored the original name back to "Japanese Tea Garden." However, because of the artistic talent and fame of the artists involved in building and installing this ornate entryway, it remains for artistic and historic reasons.
The plaque that is the focus of this Sign of History waymark reads as follows:
"Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden was completed and christened in 1919, having been constructed with prison labor and both corporate and private donations. Commissioner Lambert had given particular effort to achieving true Japanese design and had imported numerous plants from gardens existing in Japan. A house was constructed on the site, using rocks from the old quarry, and the Jingu family was moved into the house to act as overseers for the facility. In 1926 the Jingus opened a tea house in the upper level of their house. Before his death in 1936, Mr. Jingu had become nationally recognized for his knowledge of teas.
The Jingu family remained in the home in the garden until shortly after the December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor incident. The resulting general fear and resentment by the American public caused the Jingu family to be removed from the garden, and its name was changed to "Chinese Tea Garden."
It was at this time the Chinese-style entry was added, bearing the inscription "Chinese Tea Garden," This oriental-design, cement-sculptured entry was purportedly designed by Maximo Cortez and constructed by Dionicio Rodriguez. Mr. Rodrequez was a Mexican national who is credited with a number of cement sculptures in San Antonio. He kept his techniques secret, working always inside a tent and using tools he made on the site from tin, wood, etc. His process consisted of a metal rod based on which he developed three-dimensional designs with layers of especially prepared cement. He did not divulge either his process of cement sculpture or coloring of the cement layers. He spoke no English and a fe co-workers learned by observation only. He is credited with having created various other sculptures throughout the United States, in addition to those in the San Antonio area.
In 1983, the San Antonio City Council ordained that the original name of "Japanese Tea Garden" be restored to the site, in consideration of the number of Japanese-Americans who had fought honorably on the side of the United States during World War II.
October, 1984"
In 2008, the City of San Antonio completed a 1.5 million dollar refurbishment of the Japanese Tea Garden. The link below gives a more detailed history of the Japanese Tea Garden and includes more current changes and improvements that have been made since the plaque explaining the name changes was placed at the Tea Garden entrance in 1984. There is more to the story than just name changes.
Link to history of the Japanese Tea Garden both before and after the name changes:
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visit link)