Sunday History Photo / NSW

The Japanese War Cemetery holding the dead from the Cowra Breakout was tended to after WWII by members of the Cowra RSL and ceded to Japan in 1963. In 1971 the Cowra Tourism Development decided to celebrate this link to Japan, and proposed a Japanese Garden for the town. The Japanese Government agreed to support this development as a sign of thanks for the respectful treatment of their war dead; the development also received funding from the Australian Government and private entities.
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In 1960 the Japanese Government were considering the repatriation of their war dead to Japan, however they were so impressed with the attitude of the R.S.L members that they decided to bring all their war dead from other parts of Australia to be re-buried at Cowra.
The Cowra Tourist Development Corporation (Cowra Tourism Corporation, as it was then known) conceived the idea of further developing this unique friendship with Japan by the establishment of a Japanese Garden at Cowra. The building of the Garden has come about as a direct extension of the cemetery.
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The garden was designed by Ken Nakajima, a world renowned designer of Japanese gardens at the time. The first stage was opened in 1979, with a second stage opened in 1986.
The Garden was made possible through donations received from both Australian and Japanese Governments and private entities.
The gardens were designed in the style of the Edo period and are a kaiyu-shiki or strolling garden. They are designed to show all of the landscape types of Japan. At five hectares (12 acres), the Cowra Japanese Garden is the largest Japanese garden in the Southern Hemisphere. An annual Sakura Matsuri (cherry blossom festival) is a major event in Cowra's tourism calendar and is held in the gardens during September. The festival celebrates the birth of spring. It attracts performers from across Australia and around the world. Locals, Australian and International visitors alike have the opportunity to experience traditional elements of Japanese culture. Sakura at the Cowra Japanese Garden is celebrated annually when the cherry blossoms are at their peak. The Gardens at Cowra are the largest in the Southern Hemisphere,
and Nishikigoi (Koi Carp) live in the lakes.
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I can also suggest that when in Cowra, do not miss the fantastic display at the tourist information center.

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