Japanese Bamboo Journal — Shirasawa & Makino 1912 Nihon Chikurui Zufu Arundinaria Tabs 6 & 7

In 1912, botanist Yasuyoshi Shirasawa and artist Tomitaro Makino published the definitive visual atlas of Japanese bamboo — a work of such scientific precision and quiet beauty that it remains unmatched more than a century later.

The front cover reproduces Tab. 6 from the Nihon Chikurui Zufu — a plate devoted entirely to Arundinaria variabilis (Makino), today reclassified as Sasaella ramosa, showing five distinct varieties including the ornamental var. variegata with its striking white and yellow longitudinal stripes, the dwarf var. pygmaea, and var. viridi-striata with its elegant green-striped pattern — rendered in the refined draughtsmanship of Meiji-era botanical science. The back cover presents Tab. 7, documenting three bamboo species of great cultural importance: Arundinaria simonii (Pleioblastus simonii), Arundinaria narihira (Semiarundinaria fastuosa) named for a Heian poet, and Sasa paniculata f. nebulosa — including floral details (figures 13–14) recording a bamboo in flower, an event that occurs only once every sixty to one hundred and twenty years.

Product Details

• Format: Hardcover journal
• Pages: 150 lined pages (75 sheets) with perforations for easy removal
• Binding: Casewrap sewn binding — flexible and lay-flat
• Dimensions: 5.75 × 8 inches
• Weight: 100 g
• Cover: Matte laminated full-wrap print

Perfect For

• Japanese botanical art collectors and bamboo enthusiasts
• Lovers of Meiji-era science and Japanese natural history illustration
• Admirers of Tomitaro Makino and the tradition of Japanese botanical draughtsmanship
• Those drawn to the quiet elegance of bamboo and Japanese garden culture
• Thoughtful gift for botanists, Japan lovers, and collectors of rare illustrated atlases
• Anyone captivated by the intersection of science, art, and Japanese natural philosophy

To learn more about Shirasawa, Makino, and the story behind this atlas, read The Bamboo That Flowers Once in a Century on New Old Time.