Saikei
/saɪˈkeɪ/noun
A Japanese-style miniature landscape created with living trees, rocks, soil, and other plants.
Did you know?Saikei was developed in Japan after World War II by Toshio Kawamoto as a more naturalistic, landscape-oriented alternative to traditional bonsai display.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
栽景
“A compound of 栽, “to plant or cultivate,” and 景, “scene, view, or landscape.””
20th Century
Japanese
saikei
“A Japanese reading of 栽景, referring to a planted miniature landscape.”
1940s–1950s
Japanese
saikei
“Toshio Kawamoto developed and promoted the modern art form in postwar Japan.”
1960s
English
saikei
“The term entered English-language horticultural writing for miniature landscapes using trees, rocks, and groundcover.”
Modern English
English
saikei
“A living miniature landscape, related to but distinct from conventional bonsai.”