The 76th Nagahama Bonbai Exhibition

The Nagahama Bonbai Exhibition is one of Japan’s largest and longest-running exhibitions dedicated to bonbai - large, artistically cultivated plum trees grown in pots. Held annually in Nagahama City, the exhibition is a well-known seasonal tradition that marks the arrival of early spring in the Kohoku region.

The 75th Nagahama Bonbai Exhibition will take place at Keiunkan, a historic villa built in 1887. Approximately 90 plum bonbai are on display at any given time, with exhibits rotated according to their blooming stages to ensure optimal viewing throughout the 60-day exhibition period. In the tatami rooms of Keiunkan, rows of red and white plum bonbai are arranged side by side, creating a striking contrast with the historic architecture. A newer exhibition wing presents each bonbai individually, treating them as standalone works of art and allowing visitors to closely appreciate their sculptural forms, age, and vitality.

The exhibition is open daily during the event. In addition to daytime viewing, selected evenings feature special nighttime illuminations, offering visitors a more atmospheric way to experience the bonbai. A café and bar serving original menu items are also available at the venue.

Historic Background

The origins of the Nagahama Bonbai Exhibition are closely tied to Takayama Shichizo (1885-1967), a sericulturist and community leader from Takayama (now Takayama Town, Nagahama City). Beginning in the early Taisho period, Shichizo devoted his life to cultivating large plum trees in pots - an innovative practice at the time.

He carefully selected mature plum trees from the mountainous Takidani area near Mount Kanakusodake, transplanting them into large containers and nurturing them over decades. By spring, dozens of bonbai were displayed at his home and opened to the public. In 1951, at the age of 66, Shichizo donated 40 bonbai that he had cultivated over nearly 40 years to Nagahama City at the request of the then mayor.

Following this donation, the first bonbai exhibition was held at Keiunkan in early 1952. Even after the donation, Shichizo frequently stayed in Nagahama to provide guidance on the care and cultivation of the living exhibits, which require continual pruning, repotting, watering, and fertilisation.

The tradition was later continued by his relatives. In 1989, approximately 50 bonbai were donated by members of the Takayama family, followed by an additional 54 bonbai in 2007. These contributions helped establish and preserve the exhibition in its present form.

The term bonbai has since become a seasonal word associated with spring in Japan. While plum bonsai had long been appreciated, the large-scale, human-height bonbai showcased in Nagahama are widely regarded as originating from Takayama Shichizo’s work. His legacy is commemorated at Shichizo Park, located near his birthplace in Nagahama.

A list of selected plum bonsai currently on view is provided here.