Kubota Garden Foundation

Name

Kubota Garden Foundation

Legal name

Kubota Garden Foundation

Website

https://kubotagarden.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Garden & Cultural Heritage Site

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

Keywords

• Public garden preservation
• Cultural heritage programming
• Community horticulture education
• Nonprofit arts programming
• Japanese garden stewardship

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership: The Foundation relies on private donations and membership contributions. Members receive printed newsletter, monthly eNews, plant sale discounts, and eligibility to attend and vote at Annual Members' Meeting.
2. Plant Sales: Seasonal plant sales (Fall Plant Sale and Maple Tree Sale) generate revenue. Proceeds benefit Kubota Garden Foundation and support Garden programs and care.
3. Paid Programs and Workshops: Some programs such as forest bathing workshops (Shinrin-Yoku) charge admission ($30 general / $25 members). Other events are free.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide annual sponsorships with event recognition opportunities and corporate teambuilding work parties. The Foundation offers sponsorship levels with associated benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kubota Garden Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that preserves and programs a 20-acre historic Japanese-inspired public garden in Seattle's Rainier Beach neighborhood. The Foundation offers free public access to the garden, along with guided tours, cultural performances (taiko, butoh, jazz), wellness workshops (forest bathing), youth and family educational programs, seasonal plant sales, and a published book on the garden's history. It partners with Seattle Parks & Recreation for garden operations and relies on donations, memberships, and corporate sponsorships for funding.

Product overview

Kubota Garden Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports, enhances, and preserves Kubota Garden—a 20-acre Japanese-inspired public garden in Seattle's Rainier Beach neighborhood. The Foundation operates a variety of interconnected programs and services centered around the garden: educational and cultural programming including guided tours (public and private), cultural events (taiko workshops, butoh performances, jazz concerts), wellness programs (forest bathing/shinrin-yoku), family activities (Stories and Art series), and youth naturalist programs; horticultural offerings including seasonal plant sales; a published book (Spirited Stone); volunteer opportunities; and a membership/donation program. The garden itself features 11 ponds, 2 red bridges, 140 maple varieties, and 30 hydrangea varieties. The Foundation partners with Seattle Parks & Recreation and relies entirely on private support and donations to fund its activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60 projects completed since 1991 including new gardens (Tom Kubota Stroll Garden, Entry Stone Garden, Stone Garden, Terrace Overlook, Maple Woods)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Seattle Parks & RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeattle Parks & Recreation owns and operates Kubota Garden. The Foundation partners with SPR to enhance and protect the Garden and maintain Fujitaro and Tom Kubota's vision. SPR handles maintenance and operations while the Foundation provides programming, restoration projects, and fundraising support.
• Seattle Parks FoundationsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerSeattle Parks Foundation partners with KGF on the Pop-Up Concert in the Park series. The Jazz in the Garden event is hosted in collaboration with Seattle Parks Foundation's series.
• Northwest NurseriesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a corporate/community partner of Kubota Garden Foundation. Nature of partnership appears in the corporate partners section of the website.
• Fenwick & West, LLCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a corporate/community partner of Kubota Garden Foundation. A technology and business law firm based in the Pacific Northwest.
• King CountyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a corporate/community partner. King County Council employees have participated in group volunteer work parties at the Garden.
• DAIPANbutoh CollectivesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerDAIPANbutoh Collective provides butoh dance performers for the Wandering & Wondering event at Kubota Garden. Butoh is an avant-garde Japanese dance form and the performance is a cultural programming event.
• NW Taiko (Northwest Taiko)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNW Taiko performers lead taiko workshops for youth (ages 10-17) and adults (18+) at Kubota Garden. Workshops teach basic taiko beats, vocabulary, and simple songs.
• Northwest Stone Sculptors AssociationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Stone Sculpture Exhibit at Kubota Garden showcases works and artists of the Northwest Stone Sculptors Association within the Garden where stone is a major design element.
• Thai-U-Up Food TruckminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThai-U-Up Food Truck provides food for purchase at the Jazz in the Garden event. Located in the parking lot during events.
• Chin Music PresssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Seattle publisher that collaborated with Kubota Garden Foundation to publish 'Spirited Stone: Lessons from Kubota's Garden,' a collection of poems, essays, and stories inspired by the Garden. The book won the 2021 Award of Excellence from the Council on Botanical & Horticultural Libraries.
• DENSHOsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerDENSHO (a Japanese American archive) hosts and provides access to the documentary film 'Fujitaro Kubota...and his garden' for free viewing and download online. Production was supported by a 4Culture grant.
• Cascadia Forest TherapysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides guided forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) walks at Kubota Garden. Reference made to their website for deeper understanding of the practice. KGF hosts summer and fall forest bathing sessions in partnership with this organization.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Seattle Japanese Garden: Operated by the City of Seattle Arboretum Foundation, a 3.5-acre Japanese garden in Seattle offering tours, cultural programs, and volunteer engagement. Closest regional competitor for visitors, members, and corporate partnerships in the Seattle market.
• Wave Hill: A 28-acre public garden and cultural center in the Bronx offering horticulture, arts programming, and education. Similar nonprofit operating model with paid events, membership tiers, school programs, and a strong volunteer base.
• Anderson Japanese Gardens: A nonprofit 12-acre Japanese garden in Rockford, IL offering tours, cultural programming, and corporate events. Smaller-scale direct peer in the Japanese-garden category with comparable mix of paid programming and donations-funded operations.
• Descanso Gardens: A 150-acre Southern California botanical garden operated by a nonprofit with memberships, paid events, plant sales, and corporate partnerships. Comparable scale and programming mix including youth education and cultural events.
• Portland Japanese Garden: The most direct comparable: a publicly accessible Japanese garden of comparable cultural scope, offering tours, cultural programming, and education in the Pacific Northwest. Operates with a similar mix of admissions/membership revenue, cultural events, and gift shop/plant sales.
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Large-scale nonprofit botanical garden with extensive plant collections, membership, educational programming, cultural events, and volunteer-driven operations. Comparable product category with similar revenue diversification across admissions, memberships, and programs.
• San Francisco Botanical Garden: Nonprofit-supported public botanical garden at Golden Gate Park with curated plant collections, education programs, and volunteer engagement. Comparable operating model leveraging city-owned land with nonprofit-driven programming and fundraising.
• Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens: A nonprofit operating a Japanese garden and museum complex in Florida offering cultural programming, educational programs, and exhibits with similar membership and admissions model. Directly comparable product category (Japanese garden) with similar cultural-heritage mission.
• Bloedel Reserve: A Pacific Northwest public garden on Bainbridge Island combining designed landscapes with natural areas. Operates with admissions/membership model, volunteer engagement, and educational programming — directly comparable nonprofit garden operation in the same region.
• Japanese Friendship Garden of San Diego: Nonprofit managing a public Japanese garden with cultural programming, festivals, and educational tours. Closely mirrors KGF's combination of horticultural collection, cultural events, and community programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/kubotagarden
• Facebookfacebook.com/Kubota-Garden-144013716362
• Instagraminstragram.com/kubotagarden
• Xx.com/kubotagarden

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kubota Garden Foundation