Surrounded by majestic Douglas firs, Oregon’s Portland Japanese Garden (PJG) is a piece of Japan transplanted to the Pacific Northwest. As one would expect, the park’s five exquisite landscapes echo the gardens of Kyoto or Kanazawa. The real surprise is its new Cultural Village, created by the Tokyo-based architect Kengo Kuma, that opened in April. Though separated by a vast ocean and wide gaps in construction culture, Kuma’s complex—a trio of buildings clustered around a courtyard—extracts essential elements of Japan’s traditional architecture while steering clear of trite quotation. Importing a keen sensitivity to nature and a meticulous treatment of materials, Kuma’s addition to the PJG is his first major work in the United States. It is a stunning debut.