Zen Garden Cherry Blossom Festival is back on Sunday 22 September 2013!
Cherry Blossom Festival is a time honoured Japanese tradition of picnicking under a blooming sakura (cherry blossom) tree with friends and family.
Zen Garden, designed and built according to the architecture and gardens of Japan’s ancient capital Kyoto, offers the perfect setting for sakura. Tucked away in East Auckland's idyllic Whitford countryside, this private lodge is home to kauri forests, water features, Japanese gardens and sweeping hilltop views across the Waitemata to Rangitoto Island and the distant city.
Zen Garden Cherry Blossom Festival features a great variety of east-meets-west music, such as Taiko drums, Shamisens (Japanese guitars), bamboo flute and many other traditional and contemporary musical instruments. The festival also runs demonstrations and workshops on arts and culture, such as swordsmanship, martial arts and live paintings. Visitors are encouraged to participate in any of these activities.
The event offers a wide range of choices for food lovers – Japanese Teriyaki Chicken, Thai Green Curry, Sushi, Satay, just to name a few. All tickets purchased online including $10-20 worth of food vouchers, named “Zen Yen” -- a special currency designed for this festival. More food vouchers/Zen Yen can be purchased from the official “currency exchange store” at Zen Garden during the festival.
Come experience the ancient Eastern world right here in Auckland at the Zen Garden Cherry Blossom Festival!
Date: Sunday 22 September 2013 (Rain Postponement - 29 September 2013)
Schedule: Gate opens at 11:30am, with performances from 12:00pm to 4:00pm. Gates open until 4:30pm.
Programme Highlights: Tamashii Taiko Drummers, Miho’s Jazz Orchestra, New Fusion Orchestra, Japanese guitar “Shamisen”, Iaido, Kendo, Aikido and much more.
Parking & Shuttle Service:
Please follow the road signs on Whitford-Maraetai Road. Car parks at Pine Harbour Marina are open, free shuttle buses are running between Pine Harbour and Zen Garden. Limited disabled parking is available at Zen Garden, please show your disabled parking card at the gate.
Point-to-point passenger transport can be pre-arranged, please contact Coast Shuttle to make a booking - coastshuttles@yahoo.co.nz, 0274 722 613
Health & Safety:
The garden is landscaped in a rolling terrain, it is much more pleasant to sit on a picnic blanket than on a beach chair.
The garden is extensive, so comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
Some areas are exposed to full sun and strong wind. Depending on weather conditions, please bring a hat and sunglasses with you or wear another layer of clothing.
No dogs or animals are allowed.
