On June 16, 2023, Google’s New York office arranged for a bonsai workshop for their employees. Led by Julian Velasco, a bonsai artist who has served as a curator for over 10 years at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the largest botanical garden in North America, and also an instructor for cultural classes at RESOBOX, the class saw participation from 20 Google employees.

Bonsai is an art form that miniaturizes the beauty of nature, recreating landscapes and trees for aesthetic appreciation. This intricate and beautiful art is not only beloved in Japan but also widely cherished worldwide.

Inspired by Julian’s delicate techniques and exceptional design sense, Google employees were able to create their own bonsai. This class not only fostered stronger bonds among employees and encouraged teamwork, but also provided them with an opportunity to explore a rich and storied culture they were unfamiliar with, promoting the concept of cultural exchange.

We have previously organized cultural workshops for numerous global companies, including Netflix, Airbnb, Dropbox, Microsoft, and Goldman Sachs. Our mission is to promote Japanese culture and link Japan with the rest of the world. It would be our pleasure to directly convey the allure of Japanese culture to various companies based in New York, alongside specialists like Julian.

As a company dedicated to promoting Japanese culture in New York, RESOBOX offers a wide range of Japanese cultural classes, including traditional cultural classes like this one, as well as classes on Japanese cuisine, sumi-e (ink painting), ikebana (flower arrangement), origami, manga, and plastic models. Our store in East Village hosts various events and cultural workshops related to Japan on an ongoing basis. We welcome anyone interested to join us, or to contact us if interested in arranging a private workshop like this one.