Miniature art in Omiya

I love plants, big and small. Old and young. But small and old plants have always been a fascination for me. What am I talking about? The art of bonsai.

Bonsai is an art to create a natural and aesthetic miniature plant. This art has existed culturally for a thousand years in China. The Japanese learnt the art from China and created their own art of bonsai.

The first recorded document referring to bonsai in Japan is a painted scroll from the Kamakura Period, Kasuga Gongen Genki E (春日権現験記絵、かすがごんげんげんきえ). The art of bonsai begun to gain more attention in the Meiji Period and started the cultivation of bonsai in Japan.

Usually created from a cutting or a seedling or a planting, the tree is planted in a small pot to limit the growth of the root. After years of careful, but constant pruning to shape the plant into a small miniature of its own, it is created to look natural and never show the intervention of human hands.

Almost any kind of plants can be used to create bonsai. However, smaller leafed varieties are the most preferred ones. In Japan, some of the more popular plants used in creating the bonsai are varieties of pine, azalea, camellia, bamboo and plum.

As for me, after years of admiration, I began to wonder where can I see these works of art in Japan. After some searches on the internet, I found the perfect place! The Omiya Bonsai Village!

Not only that Japan has once again made my dreams come true. It comes with a double bonus! It is a bonsai village with a museum! 

Ever since I watched the movie, 'Honey, I shrunk the kids', I always wanted to able to see the world from an ant's perspective. And lived under the bonsai plant.

Although nobody can shrink me into an ant, I can always let my imagination run wild whenever I see a bonsai. For example, imagining myself resting under this bonsai.

Cool and nice shady tree

Or climbing up this tall tree.

This one has a bended and exposed bark. It is perfect for me to imagine the old Japan scenery with me in a yukata.

After the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, the bonsai cultivators had to find a new place to grow and nurture the bonsai. And they found Omiya, an area that has everything they need to grow a bonsai; clean water, suitable soil and available land. So that is how Omiya turned into the bonsai village that we know today. 

The map that shows you the way to the nurseries

There are about half a dozen bonsai nurseries where you can visit and admire the bonsai; Toju-en, Fuyo-en, Mansei-en, Kyuka-en, Seikou-en and Shosetu-en. Most of them welcome walk-in visitors and are happy to answer your questions, but as you will be visiting a private nursery, please ask first before you take any photos of the nursery. Some nurseries does not allow photography inside. 

The location for the 6 nurseries are included at the end of this post, a map which I obtained from the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum showing the location of the nurseries. 

When I was at Toju-en, I was invited to try my hands on one pot of bonsai by a friendly volunteer (I forgot to get his name, although I should). He showed me how to prune the tree. And when he let me try my hands on the tree,  I was sooooo happy. I carefully snip off the stray branches under his supervision. At that time, I wished I had asked him to take a photo of me and my 'bonsai' ^^ Anyway, it was a dream come true for me to try my hands on a real tree. 

All the miniature bonsai

Seikou-en is a well-maintained bonsai nursery with wide display of bonsai where you can see and even purchase their bonsai. They also have the gardening tools on sale.

Taking a rest inside the resthut in Seikou-en

I am surrounded by small greenery

There is also a nearby Bonsai Art Museum dedicated to the promotion of the art of bonsai. Inside the museum, you can learn the history of bonsai and walk around the gallery of paintings with the help of the English audio guide or read the English descriptions of bonsai. The museum also conducts a hands-on workshop on every fourth Saturday of the month between 1pm-3.30pm.

The museum is open from 9am to 4:30pm (Mar - Oct) and from 9am to 4pm (Nov - Feb). Please note that the museum is closed on Thursdays.

The address for the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, Saitama:
2-24-3 Toro-cho, Kita Ward, Saitama City, Saitama, 331-0804 Japan


How to get to the Omiya Bonsai Village

There are two train stations to get to the Omiya Bonsai Village. The nearest train one is Toro station (土呂駅 Toro-eki) which is served by trains of the Utsunomiya Line (宇都宮線, Utsunomiya-sen) and the Shōnan-Shinjuku Line (湘南新宿ライン, Shōnan-shinjuku-rain). If you are coming from Shibuya or Shinjuku or Ikebukuro, this is the most convenient train line for you.

From Ikebukuro, the train ride is just 30mins and the fare is about 500yen.

The other station is the Ōmiya-kōen Station (大宮公園駅, Ōmiya-kōen-eki) on the Tobu Noda Line.

From either stations, it is a leisurely 5-10mins walk.

Direction to the Omiya Bonsai Village from the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum website

Map of Bonsai Village from the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum

1. Omiya Bonsai Art Museum

2. Toju-en
247 Bonsai-cho, Kita-ku, Saitama City
331-0805, Japan

3. Fuyo-en
96 Bonsai-cho, Kita-ku, Saitama City
331-0805, Japan

4. Mansei-en
285 Bonsai-cho, Kita-ku, Saitama City
331-0805, Japan

5. Kyuka-en
131 Bonsai-cho, Kita-ku, Saitama City
331-0805, Japan

6. Seikou-en
131 Bonsai-cho, Kita-ku, Saitama City
331-0805, Japan

7. Shosetu-en
2-640 Higashi-onari-cho, Kita-ku, Saitama City
331-0814, Japan

So if you are equally fascinated by bonsai like me, you can visit these miniatures at the bonsai nurseries in the tranquil neighborhood of Omiya Bonsai Village. 

It is the perfect outing for the hot summer afternoon where you can walk along the district's peaceful paths. Or you can enjoy this video on the Omiya Bonsai Village from the comfort of your couch.