Seasonal Exhibitions｜Botanical Garden of Every Day Life｜Exhibitions

Contets: Outline of Exhibition

Outline of Exhibition

Winter Flowers "Camellia Sasanqua"

The Camellia sasanqua is native to Japan and is one of few plants, including Camellia japonica, which color gardens during desolate wintry scenes. At the Botanical Garden of Everyday Life, Camellia sasanqua has been exhibited since 2001 as part of the special program “traditional seasonal plants.” It also includes the unique varieties known as “Edo Camellia sasanqua” and “Higo Camellia sasanqua”.

Camellia sasanquas are broadly divided into three groups: the “Camellia sasanqua group,” which is close to the native species; the “Camellia x hiemalis group,” which is regarded as the seedling or progeny of Shishigashira; and the “Camellia x vernalis group,” which is regarded as a natural cross-breed of Camellia sasanqua and Camellia japonica or its progeny. Camellia sasanqua blooms from mid-October to February the following year by grouping it in the above-mentioned order. All these varieties were selected from variants of seedling, and it can be said that the methods for maintaining and spreading such varieties considerably characterize Japanese gardening culture.

At this Botanical Garden, focusing on the relationship between people and Camellia sasanqua from aspects of both genetic and cultural resources, we have studied living plants and historical materials together and exhibited the results.

This year’s theme is Sasanqua Camellias and the Expansion of their Growth Areas: Visiting Old Sasanqua Trees throughout Japan. We use panels to explain the range of natural habitats for sasanqua camellias and the distribution of 200-year-old or older sasanqua trees, which provides an indication of the expansion of their growth areas. In addition, we will display photo panels of old sasanqua trees and sasanqua camellias planted outside at the northern limit for cultivation.

Period	Nov 30 (Tue), 2021- Jan 30 (Sun), 2022
Venue	Botanical Garden of Everyday Life, National Museum of Japanese History
Admissions	¥100 * Free admission for children junior high school age and younger * Free admission for high school students every Saturday
Hours	9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (no entrance after 4:00 p.m.)
Closed	Dec 6 (Mon), 13 (Mon), Dec 20 (Mon) ,2021- Jan 4 (Tue), 2022, Jan 11 (Tue),17 (Mon), and 24 (Mon)
Sponsor	National Museum of Japanese History

Exhibition Lineup

In this year’s exhibition, Winter Flowers: Camellia Sasanqua, we will exhibit close to 140 original varieties of Camellia sasanqua that have been collected and grown in flowerpots. In addition to the varieties donated to the Botanical Garden of Everyday Life in 2000, other varieties collected and cultivated in flowerpots by us (Camellia sasanqua group, 70; Camellia x hiemalis group, 43; Camellia x vernalis group, 32) are exhibited near the Azumaya (wall-less building). Some varieties are planted in the ground in the permanent exhibition space.

Number of varieties to be exhibited: 140 in total
Number of pots to be exhibited: About 300