Nagahama Bombai Exhibition
Welcome to the Nagahama Bonbaiten, the largest Bonbaiten in Japan in terms of history and scale, which began in 1952 and is now in its 71st year. This exhibition has become a popular New Year's tradition for many people. A large number of bonbai plum trees are arranged in the seating area of Keiunkan, which was built in the Meiji period (1868-1912), and are well worth seeing. The fragrance of plum blossoms wafts through the museum and soothes the hearts of all visitors. On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from January 29 to March 6, the Bonbai Festival is specially illuminated, creating a fantastic atmosphere different from that of the daytime. The venue, Keiunkan, is a guest house in Nagahama built for the visit of Empress Dowager Shoken, the Emperor of Meiji, and was named by the first prime minister, Hirobumi Ito. The garden, created by Jihei Ogawa VII, a landscape architect of the Meiji era, is designated as a national place of scenic beauty, with its ponds and fountains and pine trees in perfect harmony.