Seiko-en
Seiko-en’s fourth-generation owner, Mr. Yamada, speaks warmly of the garden’s bonsai as his “living equals.” The garden, which had been established in Edo (present-day Tokyo) during the Kaei era (1848–1854), relocated to Omiya Bonsai Village in 1943. In keeping with its lineage, Seiko-en preserves its Edo-period aesthetic, with the oldest trees here dating back to that time. The garden has its original style, called “Saika Bonsai,” in which flowering trees are planted in a tight group. Among the roughly 75 species cultivated here, a strong focus is on goyomatsu pines. Seiko-en gives classes to around 2,000 students, and its facilities incorporate a tatami room for teaching how to display bonsai.