Bonsai Making and Moss Planting Experience at a Tea Room in Nagoya

Spend Time in the Garden of a Stately Taisho-Era Mansion

At the east side of Nagoya City is Shumokucho, a district that’s home to one of the city's most beautiful streetscapes. Here, Western-style buildings from bygone eras line the streets. Among these buildings is Cultural Path Shumoku Museum (also known as Shumokukan), which still retains the flamboyant ambiance of the Taisho era (1912–1926).

You'll be tempted to take a closer look at this eye-catching building that's brimming with Taisho-era elegance

Built in 1925, the Shumoku Museum served as the residence of Tamesaburo Imoto (1874–1945), a businessman who exported ceramics. The estate, which is a designated Tangible Cultural Property of Nagoya City, consists of a two-story Western-style building, a single-story Japanese-style building, two storehouses, and a garden with a tea room.

The tea room is surrounded by a beautiful garden whose appearance changes with the seasons

Among the many buildings comprising the Shumoku Museum, the oldest of them all is the tea room Bushoan, which was built in Kyoto over 160 years ago and relocated as it was. In this experience, you'll make your own bonsai display in this historic tea room, then plant moss in the Shumoku Museum's garden, whose beauty shines regardless of the season. In this refined space, you'll have a relaxing time as you learn to appreciate nature the Japanese way.

At the mansion's garden is the tea room Bushoan, the venue for this experience

Get Acquainted with Bonsai with an Instructor Known for Her Unique Style

Your instructor for this experience will be Hiroko Watanabe, who creates bonsai displays for high-end traditional restaurants called ryotei, as well as exhibitions. In addition to flower arrangement and flower design, Ms. Watanabe is also well-versed in literature, aesthetics, tea ceremony, calligraphy, ceramics, antiques, and various other arts.

This experience is the result of the Shumoku Museum's director directly contacting Ms. Watanabe after seeing her work

She uses her broad range of knowledge to explore styles of bonsai that enable the viewer to appreciate the plants' natural appearance.

Examples of Ms. Watanabe's bonsai creations, which are not overly modified due to her preference to convey the plants' natural charm

Feel the Vitality of Your Sapling and The Soil as You Create Your Own World in a Pot

This plan will give you the opportunity to experience the basics of bonsai by planting a single sapling in a pot. Start by coming up with an arrangement that will allow the soil and the sapling's roots to fit easily into the pot. Then, adjust the orientation of the sapling, add soil, and finish by covering the soil with moss.

You might be surprised at how firmly saplings can take root

Let the sensation of soil and moss soothe you as you work

Ms. Watanabe will not only guide you through the bonsai-creating process. She will also share other fascinating bits of knowledge, such as the differences between bonsai and gardening, as well as how to create bonsai scenery. Take the time to enjoy and appreciate this unique aspect of Japanese culture.

Add plenty of water, and you're done

Leave a Memory of Your Experience by Planting Moss in the Garden

After creating your bonsai display, head to the garden to plant moss in a spot of your choice. As Ms. Watanabe introduces you to moss planting and the garden's plants, choose where in the garden you wish to plant moss. 

Write your name on a pick, then insert it into the place where you planted the moss

You might also want to place your bonsai creation in the garden to take photos of it. Compare the Japanese garden to your bonsai, and take note of the similarities and differences.

Pay attention to the plants while listening to Ms. Watanabe's explanations, and in no time, you'll notice the distinctive characteristics and appearance of each plant

Appreciate Tradition and Nature's Splendor to Your Heart's Content with this Experience

After planting moss, return to the tea room to enjoy tea and wagashi sweets. As your bonsai display adorns the tea room, take photos as you bask in the memories of the experience.

Tea and sweets served after the experience (image for reference only; the actual sweets served will vary)

As the experience wraps up, you'll receive an instruction manual in English, written by Ms. Watanabe herself. This tangible memory of your experience will come in handy as you apply your newfound knowledge back in your home country. With this guide, you can have fun creating bonsai even outside Japan.

Enjoy a special moment in this historic tea room

This experience is a valuable opportunity for you to learn bonsai making and plant moss under the guidance of a seasoned instructor. Come to the Bushoan tea room at the Shumoku Museum for a special encounter with traditional Japanese aesthetics, and learn to appreciate nature's beauty the Japanese way.