Botanical Artist

While looking for things to do in Shikoku, I was browsing Kenya Hara’s "low-altitude, high-resolution tour" blog, which raises the profile of some of Japan’s lesser-known natural features and cultural resources.

Hara recommended the Tomitaro Makino Memorial Museum and Botanical Garden, describing it as "a pleasant blend of architecture, plants, and local climate" and "a peaceful place, with something that penetrates deep into the heart."

So we went.

This modern museum and garden honor the achievements of Japanese botanist and plant illustrator Tomitaro Makino, pictured above.

Makino has been called "Father of Japanese Botany" and was one of the first to work extensively on classifying Japanese plants using the taxonomy system developed by Linnaeus.

His research resulted in documenting 50,000 specimens, many of which are represented in his compendium book Makino's Illustrated Flora of Japan.

Despite having dropped out of grammar school, Makino eventually attained a Doctor of Science degree, and his birthday is remembered as Botany Day in Japan.

The museum was designed by architect Hiroshi Naito. It presents a modern framing for the entire experience - from the circular entry pavilion, to the wooden walkways, to the exhibition spaces. Everything is spare, made from natural materials and focused on the subject.

The gardens are extensive and well-kept, and serve not only as a place to stroll and remember the botanist but as a field-laboratory for the research institute that bears his name.

Beyond the physical space, the museum keeps Makino's spirit alive by mounting rotating exhibitions and publishing.

The exhibition objects are beautifully presented, often with a focus on botanical illustrations from Makino's field journals.

The publishing arm of the museum puts out frequent materials related to museum programming and exhibitions, and also slower moving works related to Makino and botany. The museum bookshop is stocked with these, keeping Makino's name and ideas in circulation.

If you want to know more about Makino or the museum and gardens that bear his name, here are a few links to get you started ...

https://tei-ku.com/en/place/makino/

https://www.makino.or.jp/multilingual/?lang=en

http://www.naitoaa.co.jp/090701/works/koh/works.html

Tomitaro Makino 

牧野 富太郎

April 24, 1862 – January 18, 1957