Henry Pike Bowie
Encyclopedia
Henry Pike Bowie was an American lawyer
, artist
, author
, Japanologist and diplomat
.
, the designer of the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park
, to plan a garden and tea house for his home on the border of Hillsborough
and San Mateo, California in California's San Mateo County
. This Japanese garden, called "Higurashi-en" or "A garden worthy of a day's contemplation," was created between 1887 and 1892. Although it has been reduced in size to about an acre in the 21st century, it is the largest privately owned "Authentic" Japanese garden in the United States, and it is on the National Register of Historic Places. A highlight of the garden is a silvery-green, five-needled Mikado pine, which was given to Bowie by Emperor Meiji
. Bowie's later additions to the garden include a triple laceleaf Japanese maple and other artefacts from the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915)
.
The property was purchased by Achille and Joan Paladini of Hillsborough, CA in 1988 and restored to its original pristine condition. It was featured on the Oprah Show and has been the location for a recent movie. The director for Memoirs of a Geisha visited the property and considered it for the film.
After the death of his first wife, Bowie first visited Japan in 1893. He returned in 1894, residing with the Hirano family of Yokohama. During this period, he devoted himself to practicing his Japanese language skills, studying Japanese painting, and broadening his understanding of Japanese culture. He studied painting and, after perfecting the style, Bowie won awards for his pictures at public exhibitions, and the Japanese emperor acquired two of his painting
Bowie was a co-founder in 1905 of the Japan Society of Northern California, along with Stanford University
's president, David Starr Jordan
. He also served as the society's first president.
In 1909, he erected a memorial gate, created by Japanese craftsmen brought from Japan specifically for the project. The memorial structure in Burlingame was designed to honor the valor of Japanese sailors and soldiers during the Russo-Japanese War
(1905).
In 1918, he sailed for Japan as special emissary of the U.S. Department of State. Shortly after returning to California in 1921, he died at age 72.
His son in Japan, Imao Hirano, was a poet and worked for abolishing discrimination against mixed race children. Imao's daughter, Remi Hirano, who is known as a cooking expert in Japan, married Makoto Wada
. Sho Wada, the guitarist and vocalist of Triceratops
, is their son.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, Japanologist and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
.
Biography
In the late 1880s, Bowie commissioned Makoto HagiwaraMakoto Hagiwara
Baron was a Japanese American immigrant and landscape designer responsible for the creating and maintaining the Japanese Tea Garden at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California from 1895 until his death in 1925...
, the designer of the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, is a large urban park consisting of of public grounds. Configured as a rectangle, it is similar in shape but 20% larger than Central Park in New York, to which it is often compared. It is over three miles long east to west, and about half a...
, to plan a garden and tea house for his home on the border of Hillsborough
Hillsborough, California
Hillsborough is an incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Hillsborough is one of the wealthiest communities in America and has the highest income of places in the United States with populations of at least 10,000...
and San Mateo, California in California's San Mateo County
San Mateo County, California
San Mateo County is a county located in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. It covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula just south of San Francisco, and north of Santa Clara County. San Francisco International Airport is located at the northern end of the county, and...
. This Japanese garden, called "Higurashi-en" or "A garden worthy of a day's contemplation," was created between 1887 and 1892. Although it has been reduced in size to about an acre in the 21st century, it is the largest privately owned "Authentic" Japanese garden in the United States, and it is on the National Register of Historic Places. A highlight of the garden is a silvery-green, five-needled Mikado pine, which was given to Bowie by Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
. Bowie's later additions to the garden include a triple laceleaf Japanese maple and other artefacts from the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915)
Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915)
The Panama-Pacific International Exposition was a world's fair held in San Francisco, California between February 20 and December 4 in 1915. Its ostensible purpose was to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, but it was widely seen in the city as an opportunity to showcase its recovery...
.
The property was purchased by Achille and Joan Paladini of Hillsborough, CA in 1988 and restored to its original pristine condition. It was featured on the Oprah Show and has been the location for a recent movie. The director for Memoirs of a Geisha visited the property and considered it for the film.
After the death of his first wife, Bowie first visited Japan in 1893. He returned in 1894, residing with the Hirano family of Yokohama. During this period, he devoted himself to practicing his Japanese language skills, studying Japanese painting, and broadening his understanding of Japanese culture. He studied painting and, after perfecting the style, Bowie won awards for his pictures at public exhibitions, and the Japanese emperor acquired two of his painting
Bowie was a co-founder in 1905 of the Japan Society of Northern California, along with Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
's president, David Starr Jordan
David Starr Jordan
David Starr Jordan, Ph.D., LL.D. was a leading eugenicist, ichthyologist, educator and peace activist. He was president of Indiana University and Stanford University.-Early life and education:...
. He also served as the society's first president.
In 1909, he erected a memorial gate, created by Japanese craftsmen brought from Japan specifically for the project. The memorial structure in Burlingame was designed to honor the valor of Japanese sailors and soldiers during the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
(1905).
In 1918, he sailed for Japan as special emissary of the U.S. Department of State. Shortly after returning to California in 1921, he died at age 72.
His son in Japan, Imao Hirano, was a poet and worked for abolishing discrimination against mixed race children. Imao's daughter, Remi Hirano, who is known as a cooking expert in Japan, married Makoto Wada
Makoto Wada
is a Japanese illustrator, essayist and film director.After graduating Tama Art University, he established himself as a graphic designer. As an illustrator, he drew many cartoons and caricatures for Shinichi Hoshi and Haruki Murakami....
. Sho Wada, the guitarist and vocalist of Triceratops
Triceratops (band)
is a Japanese rock band formed in 1996 that play pop rock music. Their work has been compared to Do As Infinity.Primarily influenced by British invasion bands such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, Irish rockers U2 and American acts such as Michael Jackson and Weezer, the bands songs feature...
, is their son.
Selected works
- 1911 -- On the laws of Japanese Painting.