japanese cultural center

So I could be a bit biased because I was married here in 2005, but I challenge anyone to argur otherwise. I recently attended a tea ceremony with a group and I found the history of this venue fascinating. While the structure was built by a local, Japanese builders travelled here with imported goods to complete the details of the teahouse. In fact, it is built to the exact specifications of a tea house that one would find in Japan. The ceremony was something I had never experienced and they do an excellent job of giving you a prefacr along with a prologue to explain the ceremony. I highly recommend the Japanese Tea Gardens in beautiful Downtown Saginaw.

My husband and I visited the Tea Room this afternoon and found it to be a very serene and tranquil experience. We were served tea and sweets and were given a wonderful history of the tea ceremony as well as the history of the Japanese Cultural Center. We will be visiting again in two weeks. A must see for locals and visitors too.

We paid a visit to the tea house this past weekend. The gardens were lovely. Unfortunately, we visited on a day when they weren't performing the tea ceremony. They did welcome us into the tea room, gave us some tea and small snacks, and a guide gave an overview of the exchange program and the tea ceremony traditions. The guide was quite good. During the talk she pointed out a scroll that stood for the tenants of the tea ceremony....harmony, respect, purity and tranquility. The cultural center definitely fits that description. I'd go again and would make sure it was a day when the ceremony was happening.

Shannon was very informative, welcoming and knowledgeable. No question went unanswered. The grounds were so beautiful. You could trick yourself into believing to were visiting a garden in Japan.

We found this small treasure through the City of Saginaw's website. It was very easy to access and a perfect place to unwind from the busyness of the holiday weekend.While the gardens aren't any thing spectacular they are pleasantly peaceful. We enjoyed the volunteer staff presentation regarding the history of the tea house and background of the formal tea ceremonies. The little mini tea presentation was a nice touch.We also participated in the Star ceremony. What a wonderful delight our unplanned stop proved to beIf you stop in be sure to check the hours so that you can have a docent share with you. Otherwise enjoy the serenity of the small garden.

I really enjoyed this visit. Very knowledgeable staff, and interesting details about the building of the tea house. Beautiful construction!

Grew up in Saginaw and always remembered how much I enjoyed visiting the Japanese Gardens (the actual 'cultural center' was added years later). Was excited to add a visit to the Gardens as part of a day trip to my hometown with my 3 teenagers. There were no tea ceremonies or special events scheduled on this day, so this review is based just on our walk through the gardens. A large gazebo sits overlooking Lake Linton, and I was pleased to see that the bright red foot bridge over the charming little waterfall was still there The gardens are well manicured, but there are no flowers and hardly any statues. The plants and trees all appeared to be native to this area. Unfortunately I found nothing spectacular to rekindle the excitement I once felt, and the kids were not impressed. Overall our visit lasted maybe 15 minutes. Small signs along the footpath detailing Japanese customs and even maybe some piped in traditional Japanese music would've added some appeal. It felt more like a stroll through someone's backyard, there was simply nothing to set it apart.

If you get the chance to experience the Japanese Tea Ceremony it is a must do, if not your thing you can wander the gardens and just relax!

The tea ceremonies are very popular and interesting. Explanations of the ceremony are very informative. The garden next to the teahouse is similar to gardens one would see in Japan. The Japan festival held in September is worth attending. Dancers, drummers, musicians perform showing the culture of Japan. Japanese food is available. Japanese games keep children entertained.