Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, located at 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach invites locals to learn to discover South Florida’s history and connection with Japan. Explore a series of six diverse gardens, each inspired by a different historical period and style of Japanese gardening. Visitors experience traditional and contemporary Japanese culture through engaging exhibits, varied educational programs and seasonal events, a world-class bonsai display, Pan-Asian cuisine, and a distinctive museum store.
For the month of December, Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, are offering workshops, classes, and demonstrations as listed.
Sumi-e Ink Painting (Floral Beginner) (Class)
Day: Thursdays, December 1, 8, 15
Time: Floral – 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Cost: $52.50 (Morikami Members $48.75)
is a form of Japanese ink painting brought from China in the 12th century. Primarily done in black ink, the name literally means "charcoal drawing" in Japanese. Students grind their own ink using an ink stick and a grinding stone and learn to hold and utilize brushes to create the primary brushstrokes. Floral and landscape classes will start with a review of the basic techniques before moving on to the main subject.
Sumi-e Ink Painting (Class)
Day: Fridays, December 2, 9, 16
Time: Floral – 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Landscape – 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Cost: $52.50 (Morikami Members $48.75)
is a form of Japanese ink painting brought from China in the 12th century. Primarily done in black ink, the name literally means "charcoal drawing" in Japanese. Students grind their own ink using an ink stick and a grinding stone and learn to hold and utilize brushes to create the primary brushstrokes. Floral and landscape classes will start with a review of the basic techniques before moving on to the main subject.
The Art of Kokedama (Workshop)
Day: Saturday, December 3
Time: 10:30 am – 12:30 pm or 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Cost: $60
is the Japanese art of growing plants in a moss-covered ball of soil. It is wrapped with string and contains an ornamental plant growing inside. These beautiful and decorative plants, brings an organic and natural touch to planting orchids, succulents, and other ornamental plants. Learn the mechanics of how to make kokedama, creating two regular size and one small one to decorate your home or to give away to a special person.
Mizuhiki: Family Fun:
Day: Saturday, December 3
Time: 11:30 am – 2:30 pm
Cost: FREE for members or with paid museum admission.
Use the magic of , washi paper cords, to bring the symbol of togetherness to your next gift.
Sado: Tea Ceremony (Intermediate) (Class)
Day: Sundays, December 4, 18
Time: 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Cost: $60 (Morikami Members $55)
Expand upon your knowledge of Japanese tea ceremony in this hands-on class. Perform traditional Japanese tea ceremony, with its ever-evolving seasonal subtleties, in the authentic Seishin-an Tea House under the guidance of instructor Yoshiko Hardick. The tea ceremony changes from month to month and from season to season. Intermediate course requires approval by the instructor before registering.
Sado: Tea Ceremony (Beginners) (Class)
Day: Sundays, December 4, 18 or Thursdays, December 8, 15
Time: 10:15am -12:15am
Cost: $60 (Morikami Members $55)
Expand upon your knowledge of Japanese tea ceremony in this hands-on class. Perform traditional Japanese tea ceremony, with its ever-evolving seasonal subtleties, in the authentic Seishin-an Tea House under the guidance of instructor Yoshiko Hardick. The tea ceremony changes from month to month and from season to season.
Ikebana Flower Arrangement- Ikenobo School (Class)
Day: Tuesdays, December 6, 13, 20
Time: Beginners - 11am – 1pm
Intermediate - 1pm – 3pm*
Cost: $60 (Morikami Members $52.50)
*Intermediate courses are for students with prior experience or have taken at least three sessions of Ikebana classes. Flower arranging, , is a traditional Japanese art form spanning centuries. has various schools of study, each with unique philosophies and aesthetics. Dating back to the 15th century, the Ikenobo School is the oldest and most traditional. Students in this course learn the basic principles and style of Ikenobo, creating fresh flower arrangements each week to take home and enjoy.
Ikebana Flower Arrangement: Sogetsu School (Class)
Day: Wednesdays, December 7, 14, 20
Time: Beginners - 10:00 am –12:00 pm
Intermediate – 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm*
Cost: $60 (Morikami Members $52.50)
Flower arranging, , is a traditional Japanese art form spanning centuries. has different schools of study, each with unique philosophies and aesthetics. The Sogetsu School is a contemporary school which focuses on creativity and individuality. Students will learn the basics of Sogetsu and create pieces each week to take home and enjoy. *Intermediate courses are for students with prior experience.
Karesansui: Raking Demonstration
Day: Friday, December 15
Time: 10:30 am
Cost: FREE with paid museum admission.
, or dry landscape garden, is founded on Zen ideology using carefully composed rock arrangements and gravel or sand. Karesansui is carefully raked to represent characteristics of water such as currents and waves while boulder arrangements may be interpreted as islands. Learn about our Late Rock Garden and observe how the raking can be a practice in mindfulness and meditation.
The Art of Japanese Gift Presentation (Workshop)
Day: Saturday, December 10
Time: 10:30 am – 12 pm or 1:30 pm – 3 pm
Cost: $35
Learn the customs and art of Japanese gift presentation in this hands-on workshop. Combining traditions with contemporary aesthetics, participants are introduced to the beauty of Japanese packaging and design, often incorporating natural and unconventional materials. Learn to wrap with (Japanese traditional handmade paper), create uniquely designed boxes, and other techniques to give your gift an Asian-inspired elegance. Workshop tools and materials will be provided for the participants to use.
Sado: The Way of Tea (Demonstration)
Day: Saturday, December 10
Time: 12 pm, 1:30 pm or 3 pm
Cost: $5 with paid museum admission.
Observe Japanese , an ever-changing demonstration rich in seasonal subtleties. Your involvement in the true spirit of sadō — harmony (), reverence (), purity (), tranquility () — along with a sip of matcha green tea and a sweet will help you bring a calm perspective into your busy life.
Film Screening: Belle Sponsored by JM Family Enterprises, (122min., 2021, Rated PG, Animation)
Day: Sunday, December 11
Time: 11 am (Dubbed in English) and 2 pm (in Japanese, subtitled in English)
Cost: $5 with paid museum admission (FREE for members as part of Member Appreciation Weekend. Children aged three and under free, limited tickets available)
From the celebrated Academy Award-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda and Studio Chizu, creators of Mirai, Wolf Children, and Summer Wars, comes a fantastical, heartfelt story of growing up in the age of social media. Suzu is a shy, everyday high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters the “U,” a massive virtual world, she escapes into her online persona as Belle, a gorgeous and globally beloved singer. One day, her concert is interrupted by a monstrous creature chased by vigilantes. As their hunt escalates, Suzu embarks on a quest to uncover the identity of this mysterious “beast” and to discover her true self in a world where you can be anyone.
Family Fun: Nengajō: New Year’s Cards
Day: Saturday, December 17 – Friday, December 30
Time: 10 am- 5 pm
Cost: FREE for members or with paid museum admission.
Join us throughout the holiday season to create Japanese New Year’s cards, or , to present to family and friends.
Current Exhibit: Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper
Day: Through April 2, 2023
presents over thirty highly textured two-dimensional works, expressive sculptures, and dramatic installations that explore the astonishing potential of this traditional medium. In this exhibition, nine Japanese artists embrace the seemingly infinite possibilities of (Japanese paper), underscoring the unique stature this ancient art form has earned in the realm of international contemporary art. For more than one thousand years, Japan has produced some of the world’s finest paper. The breathtaking creativity of these artistic visionaries deepens our understanding of how the past informs the present, and how it can build lasting cultural bridges out of something as seemingly simple and ephemeral as paper. features work by nine contemporary Japanese artists: Aoyama Hina, Horiki Eriko, Ibe Kyoko, Ikezaki Yoshio, Ishii Kakuko, Kimura Yuko, Nishimura Yuko, Tanaka Takaaki, and Yoshida Ayomi.
For more information, please call (561) 495-0233 or visit morikami.org.
