Outline of Exhibition
The chrysanthemum is a representative Japanese garden plant. It is not a plant native to Japan, but in the Heian period, chrysanthemum flower parties were already in vogue at the Imperial Court, and it is considered that the chrysanthemum, along with other cultural items, was brought into Japan from China during the Ritsuryo period.
In the Heian and Kamakura periods, special flowers were cultivated by the ruling class due to the aesthetics unique to Japan. The “Saga-giku” which has brush-like petals was cultivated exclusively in Daikakuji Temple in Kyoto, and the “Ise-giku” which has petals hanging down was cultivated in connection with the Kokushi (official) of Ise and Ise Grand Shrine. The chrysanthemum had gradually established its privileged position for parties in the ruling class, in fine arts and as a symbol of agelessness and immortality. In the middle of the early modern ages and thereafter, the chrysanthemum became popularized among the general public, and flower gardens in which a variety of garden species of chrysanthemum were planted and exhibitions of chrysanthemum works became prevalent. Such popular trends were supported by the “Higo-giku” which has sparse petals and the “Edo-giku” which has petals that change after coming into bloom. The traditional medium flowered species including the above types of chrysanthemums and the “Choji-giku” which has a hemispherical ball of petals at the center of the flower are called “classical chrysanthemums”.
At the Botanical Garden of Everyday Life, these “classical chrysanthemums” have been collected and exhibited since 1999. Under the theme of “Tale of Chrysanthemum Works,” this exhibition introduces how to create chrysanthemum works using the features of chrysanthemums such as their many colors, long life, and flexibility. Chrysanthemum works are industrial arts after the Edo period that did not use classical chrysanthemums, and as seen in fliers, etc., they enjoyed popularity together with classical chrysanthemums. Such painted chrysanthemum works are introduced with panels, and the new seedling flowers that were cultivated from seeds at the Botanical Garden are also exhibited.
Period | Nov. 5 (Wed) - Nov. 30 (Sun), 2014 |
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Venue | Botanical Garden of Everyday Life, National Museum of Japanese History |
Admissions | ¥100 Groups of 20 or more: ¥50 per person * Free admission for children junior high school age and younger * Free admission for high school students every Saturday |
Hours | 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (entrance closed at 4:00 p.m.) |
Closed | Nov. 10 (Mon), 17 (Mon) , and 25 (Tue) |
Sponsor | National Museum of Japanese History |
Exhibition Lineup
The classical chrysanthemums collected and cultivated/bred at the Botanical Garden of Everyday Life (17 varieties of Saga-giku, 12 varieties of Ise-giku <including 3 varieties of Matsuzaka-giku> , 32 varieties of Higo-giku, 35 varieties of Edo-giku, and 10 varieties of Choji-giku) and 10 varieties of Oshu-giku which were created around the middle of the early modern ages, as were Edo-giku and the Higo-giku, and also about 20 varieties of the new seedling flowers that were cultivated from seeds at the Botanical Garden are cultivated in either size-7 or size-9 flower pots and exhibited around the arbor and in the greenhouse and the marsh-reed screen exhibition site in the Botanical Garden. In addition to the display of the panels that explain how to create chrysanthemum works and how they are painted, the video titled “Chrysanthemum Dolls Associated with Yoshihama --- Their history and the traditional activity that gave its first cry” (DVD: 15 minutes 30 seconds), which was produced by the Takahama City Doll Culture Revitalization Executive Committee in 2012, will be put on the screen in the arbor.
- Exhibited varieties: 136 varieties in total (including about 20 varieties of original Rekihaku)
- Exhibited pots: About 300 pots
Ise-giku
Matsuzaka-giku
Higo-giku
Oshu-giku
Edo-giku
Saga-giku
Choji-giku
Displays
Note: Please note that items in the exhibition are subject to change.