Moms Weekend 2026

Japan House's annual Spring Open House resumes on Saturday, April 11 featuring John Powell, Japanese garden expert and consultant.

At 3pm, John Powell will be giving a free presentation about his background, Japanese gardens, and sharing his design for the Japanese gardens for the Ogura-Sato Annex. There will be a Q&A to follow. The presentation is free, but donations are welcomed. Space is limited to the first 35 guests.

Traditional Japanese tea ceremonies will be offered by the Chado Urasenke Tankokai Urbana-Champaign Association at 11am, 11:30am, 12pm, 12:30pm, 1pm, 1:30pm, 2pm, and 2:30pm. In addition to a bowl of freshly whisked matcha, a special Japanese sweet called wagashi will be served, made from recipes in Wagashi: Season by Season.

Guests may select from the outdoor ryurei (table-style) tea ceremony (seated on chairs) or the indoor tea ceremony on tatami (seated cross-legged on tatami). Please dress appropriately as legs are covered traditionally in Japan. All guests will be asked to remove shoes when entering Japan House, and to wear socks if participating in a tea ceremony. Tickets per person ($16.00) are required to attend a tea ceremony. Limited walk-ins will be permitted where space allows to ensure a tranquil experience for all guests. The tea ceremony will take approximately an hour.

Japan House acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council for this program.

About John Powell

John Powell is a designer specializing in Japanese gardens from Texas. Powell is the principal behind Zoen LLC Associates, a consultancy firm specializing in Japanese garden creation and maintenance. An expert in Japanese gardens and NAJGA (North American Japanese Garden Association) board member, Powell educates and consults various Japanese Gardens in the central United States. Powell is noted as the first Westerner to be invited to train with the garden staff of the Adachi Museum in Japan.