A few years in the past, Megumi Kadokura posted a number of previous pictures of bonsai on Fb. I acknowledged most of the bonsai and other people. We started corresponding and I discovered that her grandfather was a well known bonsai artist who had his backyard close to the Omiya Koen prepare cease. He was a distinguished chief within the bonsai world when the group modified from the Tokyo Bonsai Membership to the Nippon Bonsai Society within the early Sixties. He usually displayed within the Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition within the Fifties. Within the early Seventies I bear in mind seeing the backyard whereas on the prepare and sooner or later whereas I used to be an Omiya Bonsai Village apprentice with one other artist, I used to be allowed to go to this hidden gem of the Omiya Bonsai Village, as soon as. At the moment, it was not correct for an apprentice to go to different bonsai gardens. Nevertheless, since I used to be a foreigner and my trainer spoke English I used to be in a position to do many issues different apprentices couldn’t.
Sadly, the backyard is now gone, and Megumi donated lots of her grandfather’s artifacts and show tables to the Omiya Bonsai Artwork Museum. We lastly met a number of years in the past and now go to together with her throughout my many visits to the Omiya Bonsai Village, since she lives close by.
Dave Steele and Carlos Morales have been with me on the California Shohin Bonsai Assembly. Since my tour begins tomorrow, Thursday, we traveled to Japan a day early to “go searching.” Megumi got here to our lodge on Tuesday night upon our arrival in Tokyo and supplied to drive us to the Omiya Bonsai Village. Though a prepare trip is faster, we jumped on the alternative to get a sneak preview of what my tour will go to subsequent week.
After all, our first go to was to see Hiroshi Takeyama’s Fuyo-en Bonsai Backyard. I apprenticed at Shoto-en Bonsai which was throughout the road and have recognized Mr. Takeyama for over 50 years. A number of a long time in the past I introduced him to show at one in every of my 30 profitable bonsai symposia in Rochester.
Mr. Takeyama, the second-generation proprietor of the backyard makes a speciality of deciduous, uncommon species and forest plantings, which I like. His backyard had an exquisite spicy perfume of the numerous Japanese flowering apricots which have been in full blossom. Most of his Trident maple forests with stunning effective twigs have been protected in a poly home through the winter which is quickly constructed protecting two of his bonsai tables. Additionally within the poly home have been his small deciduous bonsai and some different tender species. The poly home is just not heated and each ends are open revealing a non-public show of a few of his finest small and a bit tender species. Creating the effective twigs on deciduous species requires a number of a long time and might simply wither throughout chilly winters.
I observed that the entire Tough bark Japanese maples have been exterior as a result of they don’t develop effective twigs, whereas different maples have been protected. In autumn Mr. Takeyama prepares his deciduous species for spring repotting by eradicating a small circle of roots rising across the fringe of the container and filling in with contemporary soil. Generally, the roots produce quite a lot of strain and can increase through the chilly temperatures breaking beneficial containers, particularly when pot certain. Since deciduous species are typically extra vigorous than evergreens they require repotting extra usually.
A wooden planting, I’m wondering how lengthy it should final.
Mr. Takeyama now accepts PayPal!
We then paid our respects to Mr. Murata’s household since he handed away lately. I spent my first summer time in 1970 finding out with Kyuzo Murata at Kyuka-en Bonsai Backyard, who handed about 20 years in the past. His son Isamu took over his father’s backyard. After he lately handed his son, Yukio the the third-generation, took over the household enterprise. He speaks English effectively and is sort of knowledgable. Down the highway, two blocks away, we visited Seiko-en Bonsai Backyard of Tomio Yamada and is daughter Kaori who developed “saika bonsai.” Mr. Yamada daughter is the fifth- technology artist of Seiko-en Bonsai Backyard.
Lastly, we stopped on the oldest backyard in Omiya, of the Kato household, Mansei-en Bonsai Backyard now run by the fifth-generation Haruhiko Kato. We bumped into Bjorn Bjorhlom, who was main a bonsai tour. I’m pondering that this yr’s Kokufu Bonsai Exhibit will likely be stuffed with foreigners as a result of they haven’t been allowed to enter Japan for 3 years!
Discover the Japanese maple bonsai with effective twigs are positioned underneath the roof eaves.
A tough bark previous Japanese black pine, NOT nishiki or cork bark.
Benefit from the pictures, subsequent week once I carry my tour right here I’ll all of the issues I missed at this time…
Fascinating out of doors small sink on the balcony of the Omiya Bonsai Artwork Museum.
