Date：Sun. January 4, 2026 ~ Tue. March 31, 2026
Place：Exhibition Room

A Visual Chronology of 1300 Years.

Bonsai is a traditional Japanese art form that has spread around the world.

In the long history leading up to the present day, how has bonsai been created, what has it been called, and how has its tradition been nurtured?

This exhibition traces the history of bonsai over 1,300 years, introducing the path that bonsai has taken from Japan to the rest of the world through a chronicle-styled panel display with a wealth of visual materials.

In the center of the exhibition room, selected works and materials from the museum’s collection will be displayed according to the season in which the exhibition is held.
While enjoying the bonsai of the season, we hope that this exhibition will also grip you by the history and culture of bonsai, which continues to this day. 

Collection Exhibition

List of Exhibition Materials and Dates

January 4-February 18, 2026

[Bonsai Pots]

・Seto ware (present day Seto City, Aichi Prefecture), “Cobalt-Blue-Glazed Pot with Sparrows and Bamboo,” Meiji era (1867-1911), rounded outer rim, one piece, B-167.

・Yixing ware (China), “Unglazed (Udei) Oval Pot with Landscape Design,” Qing Dynasty (China), outer oval rim, one piece, B-035.

[Paintings]

・Utagawa Kuniyoshi, “Reduce the Price,” first printed in December 1852, one piece of large format paper, E-017.

・Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, “She Looks Like She Wants to Buy,” first printed in 1888, one piece of large format paper, E-108.

[Historic Materials]

“The Path to Starting the Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition”

・Asahimatsu Taguchi “Bijutsu bonsai-zu” (Artisitic Bonsai Collection), 1892, three series collection.

・Toshio Kobayashi (publisher), “Dai-san-kai bonsai-ten shashin-jo” (3rd Bonsai Exhibition Photo Collection), Zen-Nippon Bonsaikai (Publisher), Jan. 1, 1931.

・Toshio Kobayashi (editor), “Kokufu bonsai-ten zen-shashin-jo” (Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition Complete Photo Colelction), Gekkan Bonsai Hakkou-jo Kusamura-kai (publisher), May 5, 1934.

・Toshio Kobayashi (editor and publisher), “Dai-ni-kai kokufu bonsai-ten shashin-jo” (2nd Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition Photo Collection), Gekkan Bonsai Hakkou-jo Kusamura-kai (publisher), Jan. 1, 1935.

・Toshio Kobayashi (editor and publisher), “Dai-san-kai kokufu bonsai-ten shashin-jo” (3rd Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition Photo Collection), Gekkan Bonsai Hakkou-jo Kusamura-kai (publisher), May 5, 1935.

・Toshio Kobayashi (publisher), “Dai-yon-kai kokufu bonsai-tenrankai shashin-jo” (4th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition Photo Collection), Gekkan Bonsai Hakkou-jo Kusamura-kai (publisher), Jan. 1, 1936.

・Toshio Kobayashi (publisher), “Dai-go-kai kokufu bonsai-tenrankai shashin-jo” (5th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition Photo Collection), Gekkan Bonsai Hakkou-jo Kusamura-kai (publisher), June 1, 1936.