Omiya Bonsai Art Museum (大宮盆栽美術館), Saitama, Japan

This article was updated on 19 Sep 2021 to clarify the train trip to Toro Station and the museum, and to add the link to The Railway Museum article.

Saitama, Japan is just a 40 minute train ride north from Tokyo. The major rail station is called Omiya and is the first major junction outside of Tokyo for the Shinkansen when traveling to the northern parts of the main island of Honshu. Two major tourist attractions are located in Saitama: the first is the world-class Railway Museum (鉄道博物館), run by the non-profit foundation of East Japan Railway (better known as JR East) and the second is the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum (大宮盆栽美術館), which is publicly run and a short walk from Toro Station, one station north of Omiya Station on the JR Utsunomiya Line. I visited both places on 02 Nov 2018 while I was staying in Tokyo. The Railway Museum article can be found at:

• https://ducksoupeasytravel.blogspot.com/2021/07/the-railway-museum-tetsudo-hakubutsukan.html

Bonsai (盆栽; lit. 'tray planting') is a Japanese art form using cultivation techniques to produce, in containers, small trees that mimic the shape and scale of full size trees. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penzai or penjing from which the art originated. The Japanese tradition dates back over a thousand years. [1]

While I'm not a fan of gardening, I am fascinated by Japanese bonsai since the creation and growing of these works of living art is something I personally have never tried and probably will never attempt. So to come to Japan and view this small museum dedicated to a unique Japanese art was on my list of places to see. Like any good museum, the "exhibits" are constantly changing and whenever you visit, there's always something new to see besides the permanent collection. The museum draws many Japanese and foreign tourists, so the exhibits are well labeled in both Japanese and English. An audio guide in Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean is also offered.

The picture above was a work of bonsai art created by Kimura Masahiko (木村雅彦) and was displayed in the museum's lobby as the introductory work to the exhibit. The tree is a Japanese yew (taxus cuspidata) collected in Hokkaido (Japan's northernmost main island) in April 2018. The estimated age of the tree is 1,000 years! From the description:

"From the tree's root base to the rising trunk, it looks like a dragon spirit rising up. The sturdy trunk fold and turns with a superior sense of movement. This is the first time that this bonsai is being exhibited. According to Kimura, the tree is a rare world class material. The final form is yet to come, yet a thing to look forward to."

Please continue reading the article to find out more about the museum and to see more photographs.

Omiya Bonsai Art Museum (大宮盆栽美術館) Entrance

The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum (大宮盆栽美術館) consists of two main areas in which to view and learn about bonsai. The first being the two main buildings that are used for presenting bonsai in an indoor gallery setting, together with a special exhibition room to present the art and history of bonsai. The buildings surround the second outside viewing area, which is the bonsai garden that consists of 60-70 bonsai. Photography is restricted in the museum, so be sure to look for the signs where photography is allowed (flash photography is prohibited). Only part of the garden is allowed to be photographed.

Omiya Bonsai Art Museum (大宮盆栽美術館) Garden (Photography Prohibited)

Omiya Bonsai Art Museum (大宮盆栽美術館) Garden (Photography Allowed)

Japanese Red Pine (Pinus densiflora)
Estimated Age: 500 years
Created by: Kimura Masahiko (木村雅彦)

Japanese Juniper (Juniperus procumbens)
Estimated Age: 250 years
Created by: Kimura Masahiko (木村雅彦)

I am certainly not knowledgeable about bonsai, so the museum's website has a short description on appreciating bonsai and the art of bonsai. One of the things I learned by reading this part of the museum's website was that the partial decay of trunks and branches is an appreciated part of bonsai. I've always thought of bonsai as fully living trees, but such decayed trunks bring out a beautiful contrast between green leaves and its revealed white, skin-like surface. [2] The website is here:

• https://www.bonsai-art-museum.jp/en/about/

Japanese Maple, Seigen (Acer palmatum 'Seigen')
Estimated Age: 90 years

Foliage, in addition to the trunk, greatly affects the impression given by bonsai. I never realized that, like "normal" trees, bonsai foliage is seasonal, as shown in the above picture. Each individual tree has different characteristics in its leaves, even within the same species. Trees, such as the Japanese Maple, offer the appreciative aspect of their tinted leaves in autumn. [2]

Bonsai Pot with Autumn Grass and Insect Design

For bonsai being shown formally in their completed state, pot shape, color, and size are chosen to complement the tree as a picture frame is chosen to complement a painting. In general, containers with straight sides and sharp corners are used for formally shaped plants, while oval or round containers are used for plants with informal designs. Many aesthetic guidelines affect the selection of pot finish and color. For example, evergreen bonsai are often placed in unglazed pots, while deciduous trees usually appear in glazed pots. Pots are also distinguished by their size. The overall design of the bonsai tree, the thickness of its trunk, and its height are considered when determining the size of a suitable pot. [1]

Ezo Spruce, Ezo-matsu, named Todoroki (Picea jezoensis var. jezoensis)
Estimated Age: 1000 years

Chinese Quince, Karin (Pseudocydonia sinensis)
Estimated age: 100 years

Japanese White Pine, Goyo-matsu, named Kagayaki (Pinus parviflora)
Estimated age: 350 years  

While I didn't visit on this trip, the Omiya Bonsai Village is located within a few minutes walk from the museum (Bonsai Cho, Kita Ward, Saitama City). Long ago, gardeners living in the Bunkyo ward of Tokyo took care of the gardens of feudal lords and samurai. In the Meiji period some of these gardeners began to specialize in bonsai. After the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, a group of bonsai gardeners immigrated to this area in search of land suitable for growing bonsai. In 1925 Omiya Bonsai Village was established as a self-governed community of bonsai gardeners. At its height in 1930, around 30 bonsai gardens were a part of the community. There are currently six gardens that can be visited and hold various kinds of bonsai, such as coniferous trees, deciduous trees and accessory plants. Different bonsai are created through the skillful work and the aesthetic sense of the bonsai master engaged in the creation of those bonsai. [3] Find out more about the Omiya Bonsai Village gardens at this website:

• https://www.bonsai-art-museum.jp/en/about/omiya/

Toro Station Sign to the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum (大宮盆栽美術館)

Sidewalk Marker for the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum (大宮盆栽美術館)

Finally, if you're worried about getting to and finding the museum from Toro Station, don't worry as the path is well marked. There is a prominent sign, in Japanese and English, displayed under the Toro Station exit sign. Also after you exit the station, there are ceramic tiles with a bonsai motif on the all the sidewalk corners leading to the museum. Which way do you go when you see a bonsai ceramic tile? The direction is indicated by the top of the bonsai tree (you could also use the GPS on your smartphone, but this is more fun).

Omiya Bonsai Art Museum (大宮盆栽美術館) Information and Access

Name:

• Omiya Bonsai Art Museum

• 大宮盆栽美術館

Address:

• 2 Chome-24-3 Torocho, Kita Ward, Saitama, 331-0804, Japan

• 〒331-0804 埼玉県さいたま市北区土呂町２丁目２４−3

Access:

• Japan Rail Pass (7-, 14-, 21-day):

• Valid for travel throughout Japan on Japan Rail (with some exceptions).
• Purchase outside of Japan. Must show passport and have a short-term (90 day) visitor's stamp to redeem at selected airports and rail stations. (This is changing)
• Once activated, must be used on consecutive days (i.e. cannot skip days).
• Website:

• https://japanrailpass.net/en/.

• Plan your rail trip using Hyperdia: http://www.hyperdia.com/en/.

• Toro Station is easily reached by train from Tokyo.

• At Tokyo Station, take the JR Utsunomiya Line to Toro Station. The trip is fully covered by the Japan Rail (JR) Pass, otherwise the cost will be:

• Unreserved: ¥590
• No Reserved seating
• Green Seat: ¥1370

• Take Toro Station East Exit, follow the signs for the museum when exiting the station, and then the sidewalk bonsai tiles on every corner to the museum (approx. 450m, 6 min; or use the GPS on your smartphone).

• Information and prices are accurate as of the published date of this article and are subject to change.

Hours and Admission:

• 9:30-16:30 (March-October; last entrance 16:00).

• 9:30-16:00 (November-February; last entrance 15:30).

• Closed Thursdays and from December 29 – January 3.

• Admission: ¥310.

• Information and prices are accurate as of the published date of this article and are subject to change.

Websites:

• Plan your rail trip using Hyperdia:

• http://www.hyperdia.com/en/

• Japan Rail Pass (7-, 14-, 21-day):

• https://japanrailpass.net/en/.

• Omiya Bonsai Art Museum (大宮盆栽美術館) English website:

• https://www.bonsai-art-museum.jp/en/.

Map:

References

[1] Wikipedia. "Bonsai". Last modified: 20 Mar 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonsai.

[2] Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, Saitama. "About Bonsai - Appreciating Bonsai". Last accessed: 27 Mar 2020. https://www.bonsai-art-museum.jp/en/about/appreciating/.

[3] Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, Saitama. "About Bonsai - Introduction to Omiya Bonsai Village". Last accessed: 29 Mar 2020. https://www.bonsai-art-museum.jp/en/about/omiya/.

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