Yamashina Botanical Research Institute

Kyoto, Japan, Japan

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The Yamashina Botanical Research Institute is a research botanical garden in Kyoto, Japan, specializing in medicinal herbs and operated by the pharmaceutical company Nippon Shinyaku.

Established in 1934 as an experimental farm for breeding medicinal plants, it was reorganized into a research institute in 1953 and later renamed to its current form in 1994 when it opened to the public under a reservation system. The garden covers 8,000 square meters and includes one large and two small greenhouses, an arboretum, an herb garden, and a botany school with library and laboratories.

It contains more than 3,000 species of medicinal and useful plants from around the world, including rare orchid species and cultivars of marijuana from various countries. The institute serves as an experimental field for Nippon Shinyaku and conducts research in phytotherapy, biotechnology, and experimental cultivation of medicinal plants, while also providing educational material for pharmacognosy and phytochemistry courses. Visitors can visit Monday through Friday with prior permission by writing ahead.