Bonsai | Crafting Living Art

Meet the Master

What you’ll do

Learn about the history and techniques of bonsai crafting. Then, select a tree and a hachi (bonsai pot) and make your own living craft, under the guidance of a bonsai master at one of Omiya Bonsai Village’s six remaining historic bonsai nurseries. At the end, you’ll receive tools and a hachi of your choice to bring home with you, with additional instructions.

Who can attend

Children must be 7+

Availability

Access

50 minutes from Tokyo Station

Includes

Hachi (bonsai pot) and tools
(For the bonsai making experience, If you’d like to bring the bonsai you made home with you instead of the hachi and tools, please note that importing bonsai internationally involves detailed procedures, and that permission is not always granted. For this reason, we recommend international guests to bring home the hachi and tools instead of the bonsai.)

About Omiya Bonsai Village

This experience is located in Omiya Bonsai Village, a neighborhood known worldwide for its multiple bonsai nurseries and bonsai museum. This village was formed in 1925 after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, when Tokyo’s bonsai nurseries were affected by the disaster and needed a new place to rebuild. Omiya was selected by these nurseries for its clean water and good soil, essential for cultivating healthy bonsai.

Innovating Tradition

Literally translated to “planted in a container,” bonsai more broadly is the art of pruning and cultivating small trees in pots to achieve the subdued and stately aesthetic of an old tree in nature. The origins of bonsai in Japan trace back more than a thousand years, when Buddhist monks introduced the practice from China. Over the centuries, the botanical art evolved into a distinctly Japanese form, admired by aristocrats, samurai, and eventually enthusiasts across the country, and viewed today as a living expression of nature itself. In recent years, younger generations have expressed interest in this centuries-old art, and new forms are emerging. One such form is the modern style of bonsai called Saika Bonsai, which means “colorful flower bonsai,” popularized by Kaori Yamada, a 5th-generation bonsai master. This is a style that incorporates small plant or flower accents in addition to the tree, and does not adhere to many of the rigid rules of traditional bonsai, making it an innovative take on an ancient art form. At this bonsai nursery, one of the six remaining historic bonsai nurseries in the Omiya Bonsai Village, learn about the history and techniques of bonsai crafting. Then, try your hand at creating a potted bonsai, under the guidance of a bonsai master, and experience this living craft firsthand.