Hospice of Central New York and of the Finger Lakes to Unveil Wind Phones, Creating a New Space for Grief, Connection and Remembrance

Grief does not end when a loved one dies. The need to remember, reflect, speak and feel connected can continue for months, years and even a lifetime. 

Recognizing that grief takes many forms—and that everyone experiences loss differently—Hospice of Central New York & Hospice of the Finger Lakes will unveil two Wind Phones in its Solace Garden on Wednesday, October 14, at noon. One phone has been designed with adults in mind and the other specifically for children. 

The Wind Phones will provide a quiet, private space where people can speak to someone they have lost, say words they never had the opportunity to say, share an update, express love or simply sit with their memories. 

A Simple Idea With Roots in Japan 

The concept of the Wind Phone began in Ōtsuchi, Japan, in 2010. Garden designer Itaru Sasaki created a small telephone booth in his garden after the death of his cousin. Inside was a traditional rotary telephone that was not connected to a telephone line. Sasaki viewed the phone as a way to send the thoughts he could no longer communicate to his cousin “on the wind.” 

Following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011, Sasaki opened the garden to others who were grieving loved ones lost in the disaster. The Wind Phone became a place where people could speak privately to those who had died, helping transform what began as one person’s response to grief into a community space for remembrance. 

Since then, the concept has inspired Wind Phones in communities around the world, including hospice and grief-support settings. 

Creating a New Resource for Grieving People in Central New York 

Hospice’s Wind Phones are located within the organization’s Solace Garden at 990 7th North Street in Liverpool, a peaceful outdoor space created for reflection and remembrance. 

The two phones offer something intentionally simple: 

A place to speak. 
A place to remember. 
A place to heal. 

The phones are not connected to a telephone line. They are intentionally designed as a quiet space for one-way conversations—a place where people can speak aloud to someone they have lost. 

For adults, the Wind Phone can provide an opportunity to reconnect with memories of a spouse, parent, child, sibling, friend or anyone whose presence is missed. 

For children, the dedicated Wind Phone recognizes that young people experience grief in their own ways and may need opportunities to express feelings that can be difficult to put into words. 

The Wind Phones are part of Hospice’s ongoing commitment to expanding access to grief support beyond traditional counseling and support groups. Through its Hospice Grief Center, Hospice offers programs and resources designed to help individuals and families navigate loss, find connection and discover ways to carry memories forward.

The Wind Phones and Solace Garden will serve as an ongoing community grief resource throughout the year, providing a peaceful place for people of all ages to pause, reflect, remember and connect.