Notice the many comments from those who regret never seeing this gem. And believe me, if you have never experienced the stunning beauty of these perfectly sited treasures, the restorative rush of the stream, the tranquility of the pond.. the perfectly maintained hokura structure… you have missed something. Especially if you have not been able to enjoy the gardens with Dr. Koichi Kawana’s superb catalog at hand. To those who would sell… perchance allow the loss of this gem… read the comments, filled with regret at having missed the chance to see the gardens. The power of these gardens on the spirit, enjoyed often with only 1 or 2 others present, is incredible. Trust me, we should save these gardens. UCLA does not need to own them, but save them.

Isn’t it odd that no one was aware that we even had a Japanese garden? I graduated from UCLA in 2009 and unfortunately was in the same boat. As an avid outdoor enthusiast I made a point to explore and take advantage of all of UCLA’s outdoor resources like sunset rec, the botanical gardens, the statue garden, the various on campus pools and athletic fields etc. I never read about the Hannah Carter Japanese Garden in any of UCLA’s brochures, heard about it in any tours or from other students. Was the existence of the garden ever publicized by the school? Did the school deliberately stop endorsing the garden among students with the sale in mind? and how long ago did they stop informing students about it? These are things I would like to know.

Though the sale may bring about some relief to the school financially, I think the university went about the sale and auction in all the wrong ways by not informing the donors’ existing family properly nor the student body in an open and public setting and further more by RIPPING out some key art installments which were intended to stay as permanent fixtures in a mellifluous and purposeful art landscape. Not only does this devastate the beautification and expansion of our campus but it tarnishes our reputation among future donors. Who would willingly donate something as rare and valuable as this gem, after seeing it literally picked apart apart, looted for its most valuable items and sold to the highest bidder. We’re a university, not a chop shop.