In 1968, Akihiko Ando Shimizu, a Japanese ceramic technician from Toki City, Gifu Prefecture and a Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV), was assigned to Tiwi, Albay to provide technical assistance to local potters at the Tiwi Ceramics Pilot Plant. During his supervision of the construction of the kiln at the Tiwi Ceramics building, he saw a nearby vacant lot and the idea of a Japanese Garden came to his mind.
He then relayed his vision to Mayor Oriel C. Clutario and the good mayor was receptive of the idea, seeing its potential to become a lasting symbol of Filipino-Japanese Friendship in Tiwi. The good mayor, together with the Japanese volunteer, in turn met and consulted the Barangay Officials of Tigbi as well as other prominent citizens of the town and informed them of the proposed project, and the people ultimately responded with a collective effort to make the Japanese garden in the heart of Tiwi a reality.
Funds were sourced both from the local government as well as private contributions like donations and fundraising activites to purchase the necessary materials needed for the project.
Akihiko scoured Tiwi and its environs for plants that he deemed suitable for the garden, and the populace gladly contributed the plants that caught his fancy. He picked and chose the stone slabs from Bariis and Joroan and collected smaller stones and pebbles from the shores of Matalibong. Sacks of coral sands were also brought in from Corangon. Some of the larger rocks were taken from the riverbed in Nagas while some volcanic rocks were transported from the town of Santo Domingo, Albay.
Construction soon followed with the local government of Tiwi providing the logistics and manpower, and by the summer of 1969, work at the Tiwi Japanese Garden was finished.
The Japanese carps (Kois) and gouramis were purchased from Manila and donated by Akihiko, who personally transported them by plane (Air Manila) and bus from the capital to Tiwi.
