Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens

Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens connect South Florida to Japan. In 1904 a graduate student named Jo Saki brought Japanese immigrant to the Boca Raton FL region to start a farming community called Yamato. The farming community after several years, disbanded and members sought other opportunities. The museum and gardens are dedicated to Japanese art and culture.

The museum opened in 1933. It has exhibits of the farming community, three exhibition galleries, a 225 seat theater, authentic tea house, research library, classrooms, and cafe. There are six gardens on 16 acres of land with strolling paths, waterfalls, stone structures, islands, a lake, and wildlife. There are 200 acres of park land with hiking trails, pine trees, and picnic areas.

Morikami Museum has changing exhibits that depict the changing arts and culture of Japan. In November thru April 2020 an exhibit called Anime Architecture will be shown. It is about the artists, designers, and architects of science fiction and anime. It show photos sketches, and the designs behind these animated films.There is a Japanese tea house called the Seishin-an Tea House, with a simple and rustic design. They have traditional tea ceremonies for visitors. The ceremony has strict procedures to follow,and it is designed to promote tranquility and harmony. 

They use the Omote-Senke style or school of tea making. When they make the tea they whisk it to produce a thin foam on top. The museum has tea ceremony classes, where students learn the techniques and methods of making tea.

The museum has two permanent exhibits to view. One is about the Yamoto Farming Community that contains photos, documents, and artifacts on the development and demise of the farming community. It has dairies and stories of life in the early Japanese farming community.

A second permanent exhibit is called Japan Through the Eyes of a Child. They have a train and platform where visitors can board and sit on a bullet train. This exhibit has a Japanese classroom where students learn their traditions methods of teaching. This exhibit replicates a neighborhood shopping center in Japan and what it’s like to be inside a Japanese home.

There are six historical Japanese gardens to explore. The Shindin Garden has two islands on a lake and can reached by an arched bridge. They have rock formations, waterfalls, trees, and other Japanese plants. The Paradise Garden is for strolling with winding paths along the lake. These lanterns, and pavilions.

The Early Rock Garden is austere and barren with rock formations, paths, and limited plant life. Karesansui Lake Garden is another garden that lacks plants and challenges the idea of what a garden is. Hiraniwa Flat Garden is a combination rock and tea garden with gravel paths, shrubs, trees, and sculptures. There are water basins, lanterns, and pagados.

The Romantic Garden has stone pathways, plants, grass, ponds, and contrasting geometric shapes. Visitors will see turtles, koi fish, Komodo dragons, and birds in the gardens. The Bonsai exhibit depicts the art of shaping and raising these Japanese trees. There are several of these container trees to view.

The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is located in Boca Raton Florida area. It has the Cornell Cafe open for lunch and museums store. It is located at 4000 Morikami Park Road in Delray Beach and is bordered by Boca Raton.