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Japanese Garden in Palm Beach County
Memorials at Morikami Park, Delray
See also: Introduction
Nancy Hopkins April 24, 2001

This is the fourth in a series of articles on the Morikami Japanese Gardens in Delray, South Florida. The park itself is a memorial to the Japanese Americans who helped settle South Florida. While the vegetation in South Florida is different than that found in Japan, the philosophy and culture of Japan is clearly felt.

There were typical structures that you see in Japanese Gardens. I am not sure what they are for, but I always think of a memorial.

There were true memorials. One was for George Sukeji Morikami who has half his ashes buried beneath the stone in South Florida, while the other half are lying in his ancestral home town of Miyazu, Japan.

The most moving monument was the one to Col. Ellison Onizuka who died on the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1987. Somehow, this plaque exemplified the merging of cultures. Those early Japanese settlers had traveled into an unknown environment to carve out a new home for themselves and their decedents. Col Onizuka died continuing in the quest for something better, as a representative of the American people.

If you would like to see more photos of the gardens taken on our visit please see:

Introduction http://miami-dade-online.com/JapaneseGardens-1.htm
Wildlife http://miami-dade-online.com/JapaneseGardens-2.htm
Wood http://miami-dade-online.com/JapaneseGardens-4.htm
Memorials http://miami-dade-online.com/JapaneseGardens-5.htm

You can see the Morikami Park website for admission prices and an events calendar at http://www.morikami.org/

and see a map at http://www.morikami.org/directns.htm

4000 Morikami Park Road,
Delray Beach, FL 33446
(561) 495-0233

South Florida Online classifieds, links, information on South Florida including Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, & Monroe Counties

South-Florida US articles on South Florida attractions, events, businesses, personalities, concerns, editorials, calendar...

21C-Online The 21st Century Magazine with original writing and original art, covering something for everyone, from health to hints.