Lauritzen Gardens - Omaha Botanical Center

A salute to Shizuoka, Japan, and the Japanese culture
Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, 2025

For an entire weekend, the garden grounds are alive with merriment as guests celebrate the joys of autumn and experience the Japanese culture first-hand. Most activities are free with garden admission or membership.

The Omaha Sister Cities Association helps host the Autumn and Japanese Ambience Festival, with a variety of activities to celebrate the Japanese culture. Japanese Ambience also celebrates the anniversary of the gift of the Japanese Sunpu Castle Gate at Lauritzen Gardens by Shizuoka, Japan, Omaha's first Sister City. Enjoy activities like Japanese calligraphy, koinobori, origami, chop sticks, traditional Japanese games, food tastings and more. Performances will include martial arts demonstrations, taiko drumming and traditional Japanese music and dance. Paid activities will help fund the construction of phases II and III of the future Japanese garden at Lauritzen Gardens.

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | visitor and education center

• Ikebana display by Ikebana International Omaha #60
• Bonsai display and sale by the Nebraska Bonsai Society
• Find out about the Japanese Hall in Gering, Nebraska, an organization that preserves the history and legacy of Japanese Americans in Nebraska.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Café open

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Activities with the Omaha Sister Cities Association | Japanese park
Get your hands moving and your taste buds dancing! Try your luck with traditional Japanese games, fold up some fun with origami, get your name written in beautiful Japanese calligraphy and cool off with Japanese ice cream flavors from Ted & Wally’s.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn about GO with the Omaha GO Association | foyer

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Children's crafts- Design your own colorful koi fish kite and dive into a sea of fun with Japanese-themed coloring pages!

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Explore tea with The Tea Smith | festival garden patio

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Watch Nebraska Stories: Rescuing Japanese Hall | great hall

10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Hinode Dojo | festival garden lawn

11 a.m. to noon Learn basic Japanese phrases and expressions | great hall

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Koto performances | foyer (short performances during time frame)

Noon to 12:30 p.m. Kokyo Taiko Performance | festival garden patio

12:30 to 12:45 p.m. Souran Bushi performed by UNO students | festival garden lawn

1 to 2 p.m. Omaha Kendo and Iaido Kyokai | festival garden lawn

1 to 1:30 p.m. Teas of Japan and Shizuoka presentation by The Tea Smith | great hall

2 to 2:15 p.m. Traditional tea ceremony demonstration | Sunpu Chaya in the Japanese park

2 to 2:30 p.m. Dance performance by Japanese American Citizens League | great hall

2:30 to 2:45 p.m. Traditional tea ceremony demonstration | Sunpu Chaya in the Japanese park

3:30 to 4 p.m. Kokyo Taiko Performance | great hall

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Flora & Form by Shawnequa Linder | gallery
• Explore the Japanese park and more than 20 other outdoor gardens, plus the indoor landscapes of the newly reopened Marjorie K. Daugherty Conservatory.

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shuttle by tram to the Japanese park ($4 per person) | tickets at front desk

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | visitor and education center
• Ikebana display by Ikebana International Omaha #60
• Bonsai display and sale by the Nebraska Bonsai Society
• Find out about the Japanese Hall in Gering, Nebraska, an organization that preserves the history and legacy of Japanese Americans in Nebraska.
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Café open | great hall

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Activities with the Omaha Sister Cities Association
Get your hands moving and your taste buds dancing! Try your luck with traditional Japanese games, fold up some fun with origami, get your name written in beautiful Japanese calligraphy and cool off with Japanese ice cream flavors from Ted & Wally’s.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Explore tea with The Tea Smith | festival garden patio

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn about GO with the Omaha GO Association | foyer

11 a.m. to noon Learn basic Japanese phrases and expressions | great hall

12 to 12:30 p.m. Kokyo Taiko Performance | festival garden patio

12:30 to 12:45 p.m. Souran Bushi performed by UNO students | Japanese park

1 to 2 p.m. Jōdō | festival garden lawn

1 to 1:30 p.m. Teas of Japan and Shizuoka presentation by The Tea Smith | great hall

2 to 2:15 p.m. Traditional tea ceremony demonstration | Sunpu Chaya at the Japanese park
An elegant ritual of harmony and mindfulness.

2:30 to 2:45 p.m. Traditional tea ceremony demonstration | Sunpu Chaya at the Japanese park
An elegant ritual of harmony and mindfulness.

3:30 to 4 p.m. Kokyo Taiko Performance | festival garden lawn

For more information about these events, or to inquire about participating, please contact Ben Brown at b.brown@omahabotanicalgardens.org.