Fondation Pavillon Jardin Japonais Montreal Bento Hanami Ikebana Lanterne Lumiere

The Montreal Botanical Garden. A Space for Life

The Japanese garden was the first cultural garden established at the Montreal Botanical Garden. Since its opening in 1988, the Japanese garden has received millions of visitors: Montrealers, tourists, nature and horticulture enthusiasts, people passionate about Japanese culture and members of the Japanese community who come to rediscover their roots or memories

The world nicely describe the Japanese garden: tranquility and serenity. Like an oasis in the middle of the city, it is a site suited to contemplation, reflection and meditation.

The main entrance lies at the elegant Japanese pavilion. A cultural window on Japan, the pavilion offers visitors exhibitions and other activities, including a demonstration of the ancestral tea ceremony. The pavilion also provides access to a courtyard where several examples of its rich traditional collection of bonsai trees are displayed.

O-HANAMI (花見)

During the Heian period in Japan (794-1185), aristocrats organized celebrations under the flowering cherry trees. This led to the tradition of o-hanami: contemplating (mi) the blossoms (hana). The custom spread over the centuries, becoming popular with people from all walks of life.

Japanese cherry trees are not very hardy and seldom bloom in our climate, but our many flowering crabapples will create a similarly peaceful and romantic atmosphere.

Some activities are also provided to make your picnic enjoyable:

Arashi Daïko (japanese drums)
Groupe Sandokaï (traditional martial arts)
Japanese traditional dance

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IKEBANA (生花)

Ikebana, the Japanese art of floral arranging, is an ancient art. In Japanese the word is written with two characters: ike (生), which means “to live” and bana (花), which means “flower”. The literal translation is living flower, or the art of bringing flowers to life.

Ikebana is therefore the art of using a flower to symbolize nature, to create the perfect flower, to arrange its natural beauty, even with its imperfections.

The first annual presentation at the Japanese pavilion is that of the Société Ikenobo Ikebana de Montréal.
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GARDEN OF LIGHTS

Every fall since 2015, the garden and the Japanese pavilion light up …

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The Foundation is a non-profit organization that was established in 1989. Its objectives are to promote better knowledge of Japanese culture by supporting various activities of the garden and its Japanese pavilion. Hence through the maintenance and the creation of new links with Japan, the foundation fosters unique relationships between Japanese and Canadian people. Among other events, the Foundation is involved in the organization of the 0-hanami (お花見) spring picnic, and the presentation of the traditional tea ceremony.