Mission statement: Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens' mission is to engage a diverse audience by presenting Japanese cultural experiences that educate and inspire.
Since its opening in 1977, Morikami has been a center for Japanese arts and culture in South Florida. With rotating exhibitions, tea ceremonies performed monthly (October through May) and educational outreach programs with local schools and organizations, Morikami strives to spread appreciation for the living culture of Japan.
Our History: In 1904, Jo Sakai, a New York University graduate, led a group of young Japanese farmers to northern Boca Raton, Florida, where they established the Yamato Colony, named after an ancient Japanese region. Their goal was to revolutionize agriculture in the area. However, despite their efforts to cultivate crops like pineapples and vegetables, the colony struggled with poor results and faced stiff competition. By the 1920s, the settlement had never grown beyond 30 to 35 people, and most of the original settlers either returned to Japan or moved elsewhere.
One of the last remaining settlers was George Sukeji Morikami, who joined the colony as a young man with no intention of staying long. He eventually became the last surviving member of the Yamato community. Over the years, Morikami achieved significant success, living simply and finding fulfillment in his connection to the land.
In the late 1940s, Morikami acquired 200 acres of land, which he later donated to Palm Beach County in the 1970s, with the wish that it be preserved as a park to honor the memory of the Yamato Colony. His simple dream was realized in 1977 with the opening of the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, a living monument that bridges the cultural connection between Japan and South Florida.
Today, Morikami's legacy lives on in the park, which continues to celebrate the history of the Yamato Colony and foster understanding between his two homelands.
