[January 10 – March 10] The Best Plum Tree Bonsai in Japan, and Tea Ceremony with a Master of the Enshu School

A Nagahama State Guest House for the Imperial Family and Government Officials

Keiunkan was constructed in 1887 as a guesthouse for Emperor Meiji during a trip to Kyoto. Wealthy Nagahama merchant Asami Matazō built it on his own land using his own funds, from cypress specially sourced from Owari. The building features a traditional Japanese architectural style, and is said to have been given its name by then-Prime Minister Itō Hirobumi.

The main structure is a wooden two-story building modeled on the formal shoin reception room style

Keiunkan later served as a villa for Matazo himself, in addition to being the town’s official guest house. In 1912, its current garden was completed by Matazo’s son, with a design by Ogawa Jihei VII, a pioneer of modern Japanese landscape design. In 2006, Keiunkan’s garden was nationally designated a Place of Scenic Beauty. Its roughly 6,000 square meter grounds are filled with things to see, retaining many vestiges of Meiji era culture and history.

The first floor’s large reception hall overlooking the garden

Enjoy the Nagahama Plum Bonsai Exhibition with Expert Professional Commentary

Keiunkan is also famous for hosting the Nagahama Plum Bonsai Exhibition beginning each year after New Year – the premier such event in all of Japan. The exhibition began shortly after World War II in 1952, and continues from early January to early March every year to spread the love of these blossoms that bloom before any other. It features some 90 plum tree bonsai trees lining the rooms and gardens of Keiunkan, in a truly spectacular display of traditional beauty.

The sight of so many unique plum trees lined up side-by-side is a sight to behold (This photo shows a past exhibition)

The trees at the Nagahama Plum Bonsai Exhibition are characterized by their remarkable size, with some trees approaching nearly three meters in height. Some are four centuries old. And some – such as the famed “Shōryūbai” which has been a star since the very first year – have their own dedicated fans. These trees are nurtured throughout the year by dedicated caretakers.

The blossoms of the plum tree endure the winter chill to herald the spring

Participants in this experience can take in these stunning works of living art with expert commentary from one of their dedicated caretakers.

Wabunka participants can also enjoy an exclusive special tour of the main building’s second floor, which is usually closed to the public during the daylight hours of the exhibition. The Gyokuza-no-ma on the second floor is the room where Emperor Meiji and his Empress rested briefly on their visit to Nagahama. At the time of construction, it offered gorgeous sightlines on Mt. Ibuki to the east and Lake Biwa to the southwest. Modern development has obscured this view of the lake, but the vantage point still offers an unparalleled view of the garden.

The beauty of plum blossom bonsai set against traditional architecture (This photo shows a past exhibition)

Stroll the Beautiful Garden Created by Ogawa Jihei VII

Keiunkan’s beautiful 6,000 square meter garden is one of its many charms, and this experience includes a guided, tranquil stroll across its grounds. The garden was created by Ogawa Jihei VII, a landscape gardener behind such notable others as the garden of Heian Shrine in Kyoto. Ogawa favored an unprecedented openness of layout that the Keiunkan garden superbly demonstrates.

The main garden is designed for strolling, with a dry pond bed as its centerpiece

The main garden unfolds to the south of the main building with a depth of topography built around a dry pond bed, featuring rocks and stones evocative of a waterfall, for an arresting visual atmosphere. It is overflowing with eye-catching features, including a 5-meter stone lantern in the front gate garden, and the largest stone monument in japan inscribed with a haiku by the famous poet Matsuo Bashō. Peruse its every nook and cranny at your leisure.

Some of the garden’s large stones had previous lives in castles

Tea Ceremony from an Enshu Style Master

After the tour of Keiunkan, the experience moves to the Keiro-an teahouse for a tea ceremony in a traditional samurai style. Keiro-an was constructed in 1887 along with the main building, and here you can learn tea ceremony from a master of the Nagahama-affiliated Enshu school.

A refined tea ceremony reflecting samurai tradition

The Enshu school of tea ceremony was founded by Kobori Enshu from Kobori Village in Nagahama when the region was still known as Omi Province. After learning tea ceremony from Furuta Oribe, a direct disciple of the foundational master of modern wabi-cha tea ceremony Sen Rikyu, Enshu served as a tea ceremony instructor for the Tokugawa shogunate.

Discover traditional Japanese culture and Zen philosophy

This is a buke-sado, or warrior-style tea ceremony, so-called because of its associations with the samurai class, and the master demonstrates the characteristic grace of the style while making it more accessible with detailed commentary on the cultural traditions and Zen philosophy imbued within it by Kobori Enshu.

The joy of tea in a tranquil garden

Usher in the Spring Wrapped in the Fragrance of Plum Blossoms and Tea

The Nagahama Plum Bonsai Exhibition is a hideaway of scenic early spring beauty during the plum season, and this Wabunka experience offers the chance to take it in with commentary from one the expert gardeners who make it possible. What’s more, Wabunka guests enjoy a rare opportunity for a tea ceremony within the garden of its historic venue. Come and immerse yourself in the serene soul of Nagahama springtime with bonsai and tea ceremony at Keiunkan.

Spectacular garden views from the main building’s second floor