Bonsai Village, Oasis for Bonsai Lovers

House of four season

After visiting Omiya Bonsai Museum why don’t you stroll around Bonsai village?
The area around the museum is very calm residential area. It would be nice to see pretty garden of each house where pine trees and other flower trees are neatly well kept.

In the village there are 5 Bonsai gardens where Bonsai are created by each owner, displayed and some are sold. If you find a favorite one among them, the staff will teach you how to take care.
Bonsai classes are periodically held for the beginner at some gardens (reservation needed).

note: closed on every Thursday. Photography and Touching Bonsai are not allowed.

Contents

Seiko-en Garden

Seikoen bonsai garden

Founded in Edo period, Traditional / new style Bonsai are cultivated.

Bonsai class for the beginner (reservation needed)

tuition : 5000yen or more (For English class extra fee needed)
seedling : 500yen or more;
pot : 1000 yen or more
duration : 1 to 1.5 hours

Toju-en Garden

Many medium sized Bonsai are displayed and Bonsai classes are held for the beginners.

History of Bonsai Village

During Edo period many gardeners lived in the east of Komagome village in Tokyo. The gardeners owned large agricultural fields to cultivate plants for use in Samurai residence, temples and shrines. In late Edo period, chrysanthemum kiku dolls were created and they attracted many people to gardener’s fields.

Kiku Doll　displayed in Edo Tokyo Museum

Along with kiku flower dolls Bonsai were added to decoration of the garden. Then Bonsai became popular among politicians and businessmen in the Meiji period.

But after Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 gardeners moved to Omiya in search of spacious land, fresh air and water for making Bonsai. Then Omiya Bonsai village was built in 1925.

Upon opening the village four requirements were made:

have 10 or more Bonsai.
agree to open their gardens to the public
No two story house
use hedges as fence.
The calm Omiya Bonsai Village has been preserved since then.

In 1970 World Expo was held in Osaka where most Bonsai exhibitions were brought from here.

In 1989 the first World Bonsai Convention was held in Omiya, since then held in different countries every four years.

Numerous Bonsai fans visit here to learn the origin of Bonsai spreading worldwide.

Access to Omiya Bonsai Village

The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum & Bonsai Village, Saitama are located about 10 minutes by walk from JR Toro station. Toro station is accessible by JR trains:

From Tokyo st. take JR Ueno-Tokyo Line for 40min.

From Shinjuku st. take JR Shonan-Shinjuku line for 35min.

Closed : Thursday (except National holidays)