A Taste of Japan in Bloomington/Normal

Japanese Garden on Constitution Trail

The Japanese garden on the Constitution Trail is located near Angela Drive in Normal. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the friendship between the two cities. The garden includes a torii gate. In 2012, a teahouse was built to commemorate the 50th anniversary. The City of Asahikawa also gave the weeping cherry tree as a gift. The garden is maintained by committee members with support from the Town of Normal.

The following details the weeding schedule for the Japanese Garden for this summer (2024) and for a few weeks into the fall. The garden is in pretty bad shape and needs some serious care to get things back under control. 

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Ewing Mannor

In 1982, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the friendship, a Japanese style garden was built at Ewing Cultural Center. Three gardeners from Japan designed and constructed the garden. It was expanded in 1986 and dedicated to Dr. Motoichi Moriyama, the first chairman of the Asahikawa committee. The original garden was moved to the West side of the Ewing property before the construction of the outdoor theater. Illinois State University staff maintain the garden

Miller Park Marker

In 2012, a marker was installed near Friendship Bridge at Miller Park to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the sister city friendship. The initiative was led by former Bloomington Mayor, Jesse Smart.