Metropolis Japan

September 1, 2012

Angyo Bonsai & Greenery Fair

Pack your trunk in Azabu-Juban this weekend

Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on September 2012

So popular were the Azabu-Juban Bonsai and Greenery Fairs of 2010 and 2011 that the organizers are branching out once more—in a bigger and more impressive format.

The festival will be held September 8-9, in the trendy lanes of Azabu-Juban that hosted it last year (see below). City dwellers will have the chance to brush leaves with the miniature trees and shrubs representative of Japanese culture the world over.

All exhibits will be transported to Tokyo from Angyo, near Kawaguchi in south Saitama, an area famed for its association with the plants. This connection stems back to the early Edo-period when a 1657 fire devastated much of what is now Tokyo, prompting bonsai owners to flee north to save their treasured specimens.

Last year saw more than 2,000 attendees from nations as varied as the USA and Ukraine, Venezuela and France soak up the sights alongside Japanese visitors. Demonstrations were given by experts in the field of bonsai care and maintenance—an attraction set to be repeated this year. So check it out if you’re planning on buying one—the cheapest ones can be had for ¥500—and talk to the growers about how to ensure yours reaches its full potential.

If you miss the festival, or you just fancy delving further into the magic of bonsai, head up to Angyo on the Saitama railway line, a continuation of the Namboku line, just 45 minutes from Azabu-Juban.

A further Angyo Bonsai & Greenery Fair will be held October 6-8 at Kawaguchi Ryokka Center. For bonsai boffins, or just those with a passing interest, neither event should be missed.