Makino Botanical Garden – an overview

In order to honor the outstanding achievements of Dr. Makino Tomitaro, widely regarded as the "Father of Japanese Plant Taxonomy" and native to Kochi, the Makino Botanical Garden was established on Mount Godaisan in Kochi City in April 1958, the year following his passing. Spanning approximately 8 hectares of undulating terrain, this garden showcases over 3,000 species of wild and cultivated plants associated with Dr. Makino, adding color to each season and offering visitors the joy of encountering botanical wonders in a natural setting. As the sole botanical garden in Shikoku harmoniously integrated with the abundant natural environment of Mount Godaisan, it has become a beloved destination.
　In 1999, the botanical garden expanded its premises and established the "Makino Museum of Plants & People Research & Administration Building" as a center for plant research, education, and public outreach. Engaged in research activities, the garden conducts surveys, collection, and conservation efforts of wild plants in Kochi Prefecture, while also undertaking Myanmar and other overseas locations.
In the year 2008, the "50th Anniversary Garden" was created in the South Garden, offering visitors the opportunity to admire oriental ornamental plants. The conservatory underwent a renewal in 2010. In 2019, the "Konkonyama Parkland" and "Fumufumu Hiroba Garden" were expanded and enhanced, also a theater showcasing 4K films was opened within the "Makino Museum of Plants & People Exhibition Hall". Furthermore, in May 2023, "Research Communication Center for Plant Resources" was inaugurated, dedicated to applied research focusing on the development of medicinal plants as valuable resources. Over half a century since its establishment, the Makino Botanical Garden continues to evolve as a comprehensive institution encompassing conservation, research, education, and a place of relaxation, upholding its role and mission.

Dr. Tomitaro Makino (1862～1957)

Dr. Makino Tomitaro was born on April 24, 1862, in Sakawa-town, Takaoka-county, present-day Kochi Prefecture. Nurtured by the abundant nature of Kochi, he developed an interest in plants from a young age and self-taught himself botanical knowledge. In 1884, at the age of 22, he moved to Tokyo and gained access to the Department of Botany at the University of Tokyo, where he dedicated himself to the study of plant taxonomy. In 1889, he named and published a new species, "Yamato-gusa", as the first Japanese person to do so in the Journal "Botanical Magazine, Tokyo", which he had contributed to its founding. Throughout his lifetime, he collected over 400,000 plant specimens and amassed a collection of approximately 45,000 books. He assigned scientific names to over 1,500 plant species, including new species and cultivars, laying the foundation for Japanese plant taxonomy. He published the enduring "Makino's Illustrated Flora of Japan", which is still read and studied today. He traveled extensively throughout Japan, promoting the importance of understanding plants and actively contributing to the popularization of botanical knowledge. In 1953, he was honored as an honorary citizen of Tokyo, and on January 18, 1957, he peacefully passed away at the age of 94, posthumously receiving the Order of Culture.