Green Festival at Kokubunji
Kokubunji – Small district, Famous Bonsai
Kokunbunji area, as well as neighboring Kinashi area, is famous all over Japan for its outstanding pine Bonsai trees.
To celebrate and show off their beautiful work, growers from the Kagawa prefecture as well as the neighboring prefectures hold the “Green Festival Kokunbunji” Bonsai festival for a full 3 days in the end of October.
The main hall of the exhibition, one long table belongs to one nursery each. The prices for these Bonsai range from a few thousand Yen to an open end. Often the trees have price tags with how much they cost, but if they don’t have a price tag they’re most likely a bit more pricey and you have to ask the owner how much this specific one costs.
On the other side of the hall you can see the traditional style of displaying Bonsai. Consisting out of an accompanying accent plant and calligraphy behind the actual exhibit.
They are there to be judged for a competition among the growers.
The stands outside the hall at which you can buy food and many kinds of different things, not only Bonsai related.
In recent years Bonsai has been increasingly popular in other countries as well, so not only Japanese people come to these events nowadays but also foreigners with their families.
As a result of this the festival is changing to welcome foreigners more and more in recent times.
Some of the owners who exhibit their Bonsai there speak English and are always open to help you understand the art of Bonsai.
Green festival is not only a Bonsai festival but also a town festival. Therefore, they organise some events for children and visitors. In the event depicted here, children carry a miniature shrine and play Japanese drum songs.
How to get there?
Kokubunji is a bit outside of central Takamatsu and the train station is far from the actual festival, it’s easiest to get there by car.
But since tourist numbers are increasing the organisers are planning transportation from the Hashioka station to the place of the festival in the future.
Please contact the staff beforehand to ask about possible transportation.
INFORMATION
Green festa Kokubunji
- Time: 3days in end of October
- Opening hours: 9:00~
- Place: Tachibana no Oka Koen / 橘ノ丘総合運動公園
- ADDRESS： 香川県高松市国分寺町新名2069-1
- WEB：http://www.kokubunji-bonsai.com
