MORIKAMI MUSEUM & JAPANESE GARDENS/LUNCH -CLOSED OUT

## Our History

Visitors are surprised to discover a century-old connection between Japan and South Florida. Here, a group of young Japanese farmers created a community intended to revolutionize agriculture in Florida.
In 1904, Jo Sakai, a recent graduate of New York University, returned to his homeland of Miyazu, Japan, to organize a group of pioneering farmers and lead them to what is now northern Boca Raton. With the help of the Model Land Company, a Henry Flagler’s East Coast Railroad subsidiary, they formed a farming colony they named Yamato, an ancient name for Japan.
Ultimately, the results of their crop experimentation were disappointing, and the Yamato Colony fell far short of its goals. By the 1920s, the community had never grown beyond 30 to 35 individuals and finally surrendered its dream. One by one, the families left for other parts of the United States or returned to Japan.

## The Art of Peace: Jizai Okimono from a Private Collection

A captivating new exhibition showcasing jizai okimono—intricately crafted movable sculptures. The 19 sculptures in this exhibition are quite unusual. They represent the shift from warrior-rule in the Edo period (1603-1868) to a constitutional monarchy in the Meiji period (1868-1912). These works of art were traditionally made by armorers. However, as the ruling shoguns were able to maintain peace for over 300 years, there were fewer and fewer requests for new armor. In order to maintain their skill and precision, the metalsmiths of the mid-Edo period turned to more artistic endeavors – creating jizai okimono. Ji-zai (自在), means articulated or movable; and oki-mono (置物) are decorative objects. The works are realistic representations of animals and mythical beasts with joints that allow full range of motion. The art objects quickly became collectors’ items outside of Japan.

## Museum

The original building, the Yamato-kan, is modeled after a Japanese villa. It features a ring of exhibition rooms surrounding an open-air courtyard with a dry garden of gravel, pebbles, and small boulders. The Yamato-kan offers exhibits that chronicle the history of the Yamato Colony and the design philosophy of garden designer Hoichi Kurisu.
The principal museum building opened in 1993 to meet popular demand for more programming and versatile facilities and to satisfy the needs of a growing community. The museum’s architecture is inspired by traditional Japanese design. The building features three exhibition galleries, a 226-seat theater, an authentic tea house with a viewing gallery, classrooms, a museum store, the Cornell Cafe, and lakeside terraces for a panoramic view while dining.
The Morikami Collections house more than 7,000 Japanese art objects and artifacts, including a 500-piece collection of tea ceremony items, more than 200 textile pieces, and fine art acquisitions.

## Gardens

The 16 acres that surround Morikami’s two museum buildings include expansive Japanese gardens with strolling paths, resting areas, our world-class bonsai collection and lakes teeming with koi and other wildlife. The wider 200-acre park features nature trails, pine forests and picnic areas.
In 2001, Morikami completed a major garden expansion and renovation. The new gardens reflect major periods of Japanese garden design, from the eighth to the 20th century, and serve as an outdoor extension of the museum. According to the garden designer, Hoichi Kurisu, each garden is intended to express the character and ideas of a unique counterpart in Japan without attempting to duplicate those gardens, and seamlessly flow together as one garden.
Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, with its unique gardens and collections, is one of Palm Beach County’s most treasured cultural attractions. Located in a tranquil natural setting, Morikami invites visitors to explore its many facets and discover Florida’s heritage and its connection with Japan.
Morikami’s gardens, named Roji-en: Garden of the Drops of Dew, were designed to be a living exhibit as an extension of the museum. Its six distinct gardens are inspired by, but are not replicas of, significant gardens of Japan. Designer Hoichi Kurisu has created a unique garden conceived and constructed in the spirit of the masters.

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JOIN US FOR AN EDUCATION AND FUN AFTERNOON
WE CAN HAVE LUNCH AFTER THE EVENT
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TICKETS ARE $14
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