Kurisu
Kurisu is an Oregon-based, exclusively design-build landscape firm founded in 1972 that designs, constructs, and maintains Japanese-style gardens and healing landscapes for healthcare facilities, cultural institutions, private residences, and municipal clients across the U.S. and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1972
- HeadquartersTigard, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Kurisu does
Kurisu, LLC is an exclusively design-build landscape firm headquartered in Tigard, Oregon, founded in 1972 by Hoichi Kurisu, a Hiroshima-born designer trained under master Japanese garden designer Kenzo Ogata in Tokyo. The firm designs, constructs, and maintains Japanese-style gardens and healing landscapes, grounded in a proprietary philosophy of ma (active emptiness) and ki-sei (flow of energy) and a whole-system design methodology rooted in place, people, and purpose. Projects range from 2,800 sq ft private rooftop terraces to 16-acre public gardens and constructed treatment wetlands, executed by Kurisu's own crew with support from long-standing Japanese master craftsmen for traditional masonry and carpentry.
Kurisu serves four primary segments: healthcare facilities (healing gardens for hospitals and rehabilitation centers, including a maximum-security correctional facility), cultural institutions (museums, botanical gardens, sculpture parks), high-net-worth private residences, and municipal/environmental clients (constructed treatment wetlands). The firm has delivered projects across the United States and internationally in Mexico, Japan, the British Virgin Islands, and the Cayman Islands, with marquee commissions including Frederik Meijer Gardens, Morikami Museum, the Portland Japanese Garden, Anderson Japanese Gardens, and the Phipps Conservatory. Two White House awards (1988, 1992) and independent top-10 rankings in Japanese garden publications establish its brand credentials.
The business operates as a privately held professional services firm with no external institutional capital. Revenue is generated through bespoke design and construction contracts (custom project-based pricing determined by consultation) plus optional multi-year maintenance engagements, some of which have spanned over 40 years. Kurisu runs a direct-to-client sales motion with no intermediaries, and growth is driven primarily by founder-led design vision and a portfolio-based marketing approach supplemented by earned media and a seasonal newsletter.
Kurisu firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kurisu
- Legal name
- Kurisu, LLC
- Website
- https://kurisu.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1972
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kurisu is an Oregon-based, exclusively design-build landscape firm founded in 1972 that designs, constructs, and maintains Japanese-style gardens and healing landscapes for healthcare facilities, cultural institutions, private residences, and municipal clients across the U.S. and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kurisu industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Landscape Architecture Services
- NAICS
- Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Landscaping Services (561730)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Landscape Design, Build & Installation (Hardscapes/Softscapes) (BPABADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Commercial Landscape Design & Installation (HSAIABAJ), Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC), Tree & Shrub Fertilization & Plant Health Care (PHC) (HSAIAGAG)
Keywords
Where Kurisu is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tigard
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kurisu business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Landscape Design Services: Custom Japanese-style garden design services for healthcare facilities, cultural institutions, public spaces, and private residences. Projects range from intimate residential courtyards to 16-acre public parks.
- Garden Construction: Design-build construction services where Kurisu's own highly-skilled crew installs designs, ensuring quality, efficiency and authenticity. Long-standing relationships with master craftsmen in the US and Japan for traditional Japanese masonry and carpentry.
- Garden Maintenance: Follow-up maintenance programs including expert Japanese pruning services available seasonally and annually. Relationships with some gardens have spanned over 40 years.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Kurisu product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kurisu is an exclusively design-build landscape firm that creates authentic Japanese-style gardens and evidence-based healing landscapes for healthcare facilities, cultural institutions, municipalities, correctional facilities, and private residences. The company delivers three integrated service lines — Design, Construction, and Maintenance — using its own skilled crew to install each project and ensure quality, efficiency, and authenticity.
Product overview
Kurisu (Kurisu International, now Kurisu LLC) is a landscape design-build firm founded in 1972 specializing in Japanese-style gardens and healing landscapes. The company offers three core services: Design Services, Construction Services, and Maintenance Services. Their product portfolio centers on Healing Gardens (evidence-based restorative gardens for healthcare, rehabilitation, and community settings), Traditional Japanese-Style Gardens, and Wetland/Water Treatment Gardens. Notable named projects include Anderson Japanese Gardens (ranked among top Japanese gardens outside Japan), Frederik Meijer Gardens' 8.5-acre Japanese Garden, Morikami Museum's 16-acre Roji-en, Talking Water Gardens (wastewater treatment wetland), Fernhill Wetlands, and the Oregon State Penitentiary Memorial Healing Garden. The company's design philosophy is grounded in whole-system design methodology, incorporating Japanese concepts of Ma (activated emptiness) and Ki-Sei (energy flow). Projects range from intimate residential courtyards to 16-acre public parks, and have been implemented throughout the United States and internationally in Japan, British Virgin Islands, and Cayman Islands.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Design Services Custom Japanese-style landscape design services applying the firm's whole-system design methodology rooted in place, people, and purpose. All designs originate from hand-drawn concepts prepared by founder Hoichi Kurisu after client consultation and on-site visits, serving healthcare facilities, cultural institutions, municipalities, and private residences.
- Construction Services Design-build construction services in which Kurisu's own highly-skilled crew mobilizes to each project site to install designs, ensuring quality, efficiency, and authenticity. The firm maintains long-standing relationships with master craftsmen in the United States and Japan for traditional Japanese masonry, carpentry, and authentic tea house construction.
- Maintenance Services Follow-up maintenance programs providing expert Japanese pruning and garden care using traditional techniques, available seasonally and annually. Kurisu has maintained relationships with some gardens for over 40 years.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30% reduction in fresh makeup water requirements
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Kurisu
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Kurisu technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Kurisu partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and support.
- Asian Pacific Family Club (APFC) at Oregon State PenitentiarycoreInmate-initiated project at Oregon State Penitentiary where APFC members conceived and championed the healing garden project. Approximately 200 inmates volunteered their time to help build the garden. The project represents pioneering collaboration in rehabilitation through nature.
- Robert Oshatz (Architect)keyCollaboration with Portland, Oregon-based architect Robert Oshatz on the Obihiro, Japan Residence project. Kurisu worked closely with Oshatz to create landscape as organic and innovative as the modernist architecture.
- Clean Water ServicescoreLong-term partnership with Clean Water Services for integrated water treatment wetland projects. Kurisu applies Japanese design principles to renew the human spirit while Clean Water Services applies technology and science to detoxify wastewater. Collaborations include Fernhill Wetlands Natural Treatment System (Water Garden, Entry Corridor, Birdwatcher's Path) and Talking Water Gardens (8 waterfalls, streams, bridges integrated with constructed treatment wetland).
- Le-Huu Partners (Architects)keyCollaborated with Le-Huu Partners architects to seamlessly integrate gardens at gallery level for the Harn Museum's David A. Cofrin Asian Art Wing expansion.
- Japanese Master CraftsmenkeyLong-standing relationships with master craftsmen in the United States and Japan whose work complements gardens with centuries-old arts of masonry and traditional Japanese carpentry. Includes authentic tea house construction where craftsmen from Japan build, then dismantle, ship, and reassemble using traditional tools and techniques.
- Florida Atlantic University School of NursingsupportConducted clinical studies at Morikami Japanese gardens investigating the effects of garden walks on older adults with depression. Study expanded to include cancer patients, caregivers, and Vietnam veterans. By 2013, over 450 participants had completed studies.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kurisu competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kurisu social profiles
Digital presenceKurisu financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kurisu leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Kurisu funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kurisu M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kurisu
What does Kurisu do?
Kurisu is an exclusively design-build landscape firm that creates authentic Japanese-style gardens and evidence-based healing landscapes for healthcare facilities, cultural institutions, municipalities, correctional facilities, and private residences. The company delivers three integrated service lines — Design, Construction, and Maintenance — using its own skilled crew to install each project and ensure quality, efficiency, and authenticity.
Is Kurisu a public or private company?
Kurisu is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Kurisu founded?
Kurisu was founded in 1972. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kurisu based?
Kurisu is headquartered in Tigard, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kurisu make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Landscape Design Services are the primary driver. The others are garden Construction and garden Maintenance.
Does Kurisu have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kurisu.
What industry is Kurisu in?
Kurisu's product category is Landscape Architecture Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPABADAF, Landscape Design, Build & Installation (Hardscapes/Softscapes), with a secondary code of HSAIABAJ, Commercial Landscape Design & Installation. Its NAICS code is 54132.