Bonsai Village & Museum Tour

What you’ll do

Accompanied by a guide, learn about the history of bonsai and the Omiya Bonsai Village at the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum. Then, stroll through the remaining storied bonsai nurseries of the Omiya Bonsai Village.

If you would like to book a tailor-made bonsai experience, contact us at info@deeperjapan.com.

Includes

Admission fee for Omiya Bonsai Art Museum

Who can attend

Children must be 7+

Availability

Access

50 minutes from Tokyo Station

About the Omiya Bonsai Village

The Omiya Bonsai Village itself was founded before the war by a coalition of bonsai gardeners searching for a prime location around Tokyo to establish their nurseries. A modern beacon for bonsai enthusiasts, the village draws visitors from all over the world with its collection of artful masterpieces and living cultural heritage. Each garden in the village is run by a different family of masters, who pursue and perfect their own style of cultivation. Formed in 1925 following the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1925, Omiya was selected due to the area’s pristine water and good soil, essential for cultivating healthy bonsai.

Historic Living Art

Miniature reflections of nature’s grandeur, bonsai have been cherished in Japan for centuries. From their early importation from China to deep connections with Zen Buddhism—and later, as status symbols passed down through generations—bonsai are firmly rooted in Japan’s artistic and cultural heritage. Despite bonsai’s centuries of history and aesthetic importance, bonsai culture suffered severely during World War II, with countless prominent bonsai trees destroyed by fire, caretaking prohibited barring rare exceptions, and effort focused on daily survival rather than cultivation. Postwar revival of this revered botanical and spiritual practice originated at the Omiya Bonsai Village, where the creation of the Omiya Bonsai Association not only sparked renewed interest in the art, but also led to the nationwide creation of the Nippon Bonsai Association. Explore the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum with a guide and witness the history and culture of bonsai in Japan and especially in Saitama’s Omiya City, where the craft of bonsai is conserved and still practiced at the six remaining bonsai nurseries in the Bonsai Village. Visit a few of these nurseries and experience the beauty and craft of bonsai up close.