Outline of Exhibition

Winter Flowers "Camellia Sasanqua"
展示物イメージ

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 Winter Flower “Camellia Sasanqua” exhibition takes “Sasanqua Stock Preservation” as its theme, focusing on the relationship between the cultivars Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua, as well on how the current strains have been carried down since the Edo period (17th to 19th centuries).

Period Dec 1 (Tue), 2015- Jan 31 (Sun), 2016
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. to 4:30 p.m. (no entrance after 4:00 p.m.)
Closed Dec 7 (Mon), 14 (Mon), 21 (Mon),
Dec 27 (Sun), 2015- Jan 4 (Mon), 2016,
12 (Tue),18 (Mon), and 25 (Mon)
Sponsor National Museum of Japanese History

Exhibition Lineup

In addition to the varieties donated to this Botanical Garden in the year 2000, those that have since been newly collected are also exhibited. Camellia sasanquas (70 varieties of Camellia sasanqua, 43 varieties of Camellia x hiemalis and 32 varieties of Camellia x vernalis), grown in potting at this Botanical Garden, are exhibited around the arbor and in the greenhouse and the marsh-reed screen exhibition site in the Botanical Garden. Some are also planted at the permanent exhibition space.

Taking the theme of “Sasanqua Stock Preservation”, the exhibition explores the relationship between Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua—both members of the Theaceae family, the cultural background against which strains of Camellia Sasanqua were passed down to the present, and how the flowers have been documented and otherwise depicted. The panel display is located in the arbor.

  • Number of varieties to be exhibited: 145 in total
  • Number of pots to be exhibited: About 300

Camellia sasanqua

Iso-chidori

Isochidori

Inuhariko (Edo sasanqua)

Sasadabeni

Choujiguruma

Gingetsu
(Higo sasanqua)

Hakurakuten (Higo sasanqua)

Inuhariko
(Edo sasanqua)

Camellia x hiemalis

Hinodefuji

Cotton candy

Akinoyosooi

Shikokubeni

Cotton candy

Kougyoku

Camellia x vernali

Ginryu

Ginryu

Yuletide

Kokinran

Hoshihiryu

Yuletide

Note: Please note that items in the exhibition are subject to change.