This Aosagi mural is located in downtown Edmonds, Washington. It was created by Shoga Ota and installed in September 2021. The mural’s style is similar to Japanese woodblocks. In the mural, a large blue heron (Aosagi) flies over a series of waves.

Japanese immigrants were an important part of the history of the Pacific Northwest. In the 19th century, they were instrumental in the railroad, mining, timber, and fishing industries. During World War II, there was a rise in anti-Japanese sentiments and they were forcibly relocated to internment camps. Reparations for that action did not occur until 1988, under the Civil Liberties Act.

In April of 1988, Edmonds developed a sister city relationship with Hekinan, Japan. This mural was created partly to acknowledge Edmond’s relationship with Hekinan. The goal of this relationship is to foster “exchanges that reflect our intercultural focus between business, education and nonprofit organizations in the local area.”

This mural was funded by a grant from the City of Edmonds Arts Commission and a generous donation from the McMurray family.

Monday Mural