【Profile】
Director of Batumi National Botanical Garden
―― Could you tell us about the Batumi Botanical Garden?
The Batumi Botanical Garden is located about 9 kilometers from the city center of Batumi and spans an area of 112 hectares. It officially opened on November 3, 1912.
Within the garden are nine phytogeographic (plant-geographic) sections and three parks, featuring approximately 1,800 different plant and flower species, 90 of which are native to the Caucasus region.
The garden also plays an important role as a center for the dissemination of agricultural and biological knowledge. It has signed memoranda of cooperation with over 140 botanical gardens, universities, and research institutions worldwide.
Since 1998, the Batumi Botanical Garden has been a member of the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), contributing to international cooperation, scientific exchange, and the development of shared strategies among botanical gardens.
For visitors, the garden offers a variety of services including guided tours, camping, picnicking, wedding ceremonies, and the sale of ornamental plants.
――Could you tell us about the Japanese Garden within the Batumi Botanical Garden?
The Japanese Garden is located within the East Asia section of the Batumi Botanical Garden. This section is both the largest in area and the richest in plant diversity, thanks in part to the climatic similarity between Japan’s humid subtropical environment and that of Batumi.
In 1913, with support from the Batumi Agricultural Community, partnerships were established with two prominent Japanese companies—Nursery Company and Seitaro Arai. These collaborations made it possible to introduce 314 species of Japanese-origin plants into the garden.
The vision for creating a Japanese Garden in Batumi dates back to around 1895. At that time, Andrey Krasnov and his team visited several East Asian countries, including India, Ceylon, China, and Japan. Following that expedition, the development of the Japanese Garden began in 1913 within the East Asia phytogeographic section.
The garden includes a space called “Satetsu”, designed to resemble a dry stream flowing down a hillside, surrounded by mature trees and dwarf plants. It is also adorned with a white lantern known as “Kasuga”, and even features bonsai trees over 100 years old.
Another area is known as “Sapsui”, which showcases a pond with colorful ornamental fish and a peninsula-like landscape. The islands within the pond are connected by bamboo bridges, with a lantern titled “Scene for Snow” positioned nearby. Water flows from a man-made waterfall down the slope into the pond, where another lantern named “Nigatsu-dō” stands proudly.
Near the pond, beside a traditional Japanese gazebo, there is also a solid stone basin called “Cikubai” carved from a single rock.
―― What are your plans for the future of the Japanese Garden?
I originally worked in a completely different field, but ten years ago I became the director of the Batumi Botanical Garden. I’m originally from Batumi, and as a child I often visited the garden on walks—but back then, I never imagined I would one day become its director.
As for the Japanese Garden within the Batumi Botanical Garden, I haven’t yet had the opportunity to visit Japan myself. That’s why I hope to travel there in the future to see authentic Japanese gardens with my own eyes. I would also love to invite Japanese artisans to Batumi to help create spaces within our garden—such as a setting for the tea ceremony—and enhance its authenticity and atmosphere.
