Tokyo: ＠Toro Station & @ Seikoen — Guide Miyuki

When Guests From North America Visit Omiya Bonsai Village: A Licensed Guide's Private Tour Report

This was a private tour for guests visiting from North America. One of the guests grows bonsai, and the tour had been arranged as a gift for that person.

We arrived at Toro Station at 10:10. After explaining the history of the Bonsai Village using the map at the station, we headed to the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum. At the time of the visit, the special exhibition "Omiya Bonsai Village 100th Anniversary Commemorative Special Exhibition: Green Frontier – 100 Years of Omiya Bonsai Village" was being held, and the bonsai and explanatory panels in the Collection Gallery were quite different from usual. (Normally there are panels explaining how to view bonsai, the types of bonsai, bonsai techniques, and the history of the Bonsai Village, but at present they introduce each of the bonsai nurseries in the village.) In the Collection Gallery and the tatami-room display, mainly pine and juniper bonsai from Toju-en were exhibited, and they were very impressive. (Going forward, bonsai from each nursery are scheduled to be displayed on a weekly rotation.) The guests viewed the bonsai with great enthusiasm, and were especially captivated by the twisting trunk of a shimpaku juniper. In the garden, one of the guests went ahead to look around, and since the sunlight was strong, sat down in the pavilion to enjoy the view, while I walked slowly around the garden together with the other guest. At the shop, one of the guests purchased a tote bag with a bonsai design. After that, we went to Mansei-en. There, the ever-kind Mr. Ishikawa introduced us to a group planting of shimpaku juniper and Tsuyama hinoki cypress that had been displayed at the Osaka Expo, and shared many enjoyable stories. By then it was already 12:45. Due to the heat, one of the guests was a little tired, so we took a short break at the Bonsai Shiki-no-Ie to have some water. We decided to visit Fuyo-en after lunch, so I guided them to Seiko-en and then took them to the bonsai restaurant, where the tour concluded.

Click here for more details: Omiya Bonsai Village Private Tour with Licensed Local Guide

Tour Report by Miyuki

Hello, my name is Miyuki. I am a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter since 2019. I was born in Saitama, 30 km north of Tokyo. I have lived there until today. I like Japanese traditional culture. I love bonsai and work as a guide in the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum. I am also learning the tea ceremony. Both bonsai and tea ceremonies make you feel relaxed and refreshed. I used to be a member of a Japanese archery club when I was a university student. Visiting shrines, temples and traditional gardens also makes me happy. You cannot miss eating Japanese food and sweets after visiting there. Let’s enjoy walking around Japan together!

Hallo, mein Name ist Miyuki. Ich bin nationale anerkannte Reiseleiterin. Ich begleite Sie gerne durch Tokyo. Tokyo hat verschiedene Gesichter, mal traditionelle mal moderne. Da gibt es Shinto-Schreine, buddhistische Tempel, und typische japanische Gärten zu sehen, während man z. B. in Harajuku moderne Kultur und Mode erleben kann. Wollen wir zusammen bummeln und entdecken, was Tokyo ist!
Ich empfehle Ihnen auch einen Besuch zum Omiya Bonsai Dorf. Da kann man sich allerlei Bonsai Bäume ansehen.
Ich freue mich schon darauf, Sie zu sehen!