Special Displays

There are several special display in this year’s Gafu Ten Shohin Bonsai Exhibition. It was interesting to view the special display of Registered Important Masterpiece containers, all in clear plexi glass boxes. Matt Ouwinga from Maryland had four of his rare and antique pots displayed.

 

The 15^th bonsai container completion was also held. The beautiful containers, most of these containers are too fancy to use in my opinion because they draw the viewer’s eye before the bonsai and are distracting. However, like most people who grow bonsai, I too, collect containers for their beauty and unique qualities. I even have a pink container with feet looking like a duck. Yes, it came from Tokoname. And today I even saw two shohin bonsai containers bright gold, looking like the precious metal. They were under two inches in size and over $300 each. By the way, $300 for a small shohin container is not unusual here. Three tall hand carved root stands were also displayed here too. But, like most of the containers, looked too ornate for displaying bonsai. Some even had monkeys carved into the “roots.”

The 6^th World Shohin Bonsai Photo Award contest displayed 11 photos of bonsai submitted by foreigners.

A developmental displayed featured ten small bonsai in training with multiple old photos showing how they were trained. It was quite interesting to see how the artists used their techniques to create great bonsai. Quite an educational display.

 

Another special display featured a curated fine-quality small bonsai and containers for sale by the professional Shohin Bonsai Association. They were against a black background on black boxes quite dramatic.

Sargent Juniper $12,000

Chinese Quince $6,500

Chojubai Japanese Flowering Quince $3,500

 

Shishigashira Japanese Maple $6,800

 

Japanese Black Pine $6,500

Each individual small bonsai was beautifully displayed and prepared for this, the highest level shohin bonsai exhibition.