


Chinese hackberry, Celtis sinensis.
This year, Part 2 of the 97th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition is being held on February 15-18, 2023 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan.


Part 2 has all new trees, accessories, suiseki and other ornaments. I personally thought Part 1 was superb, and it was. However, Part 2 seemed to have higher quality and more unusual species. This was the opening day for Part 2, and I did not see big crowds, perhaps because of Covid?

Winter flowering cherry


Data from Part 2:
140 Exhibit Areas
90 Large Bonsai
27 Chuhin (Medium) Compositions (54 Pcs.)
14 Small bonsai
8 Shohin Compositions (52 pcs.)
Total Displayed Bonsai, Approximately 212
3 Kokufu Prizes
12 Kicho (Important Bonsai Masterpieces)
2 Special Exhibits
Foreign Exhibitors:
1 Italy
1 Thailand
1 Suri Lanka

Kokufu Prize. Amelanchier asiatica, Shadblow

Kokufu Prize. Sargent Juniper.

Kokufu Prize. Shohin Bonsai Composition, mixed species,

Rock planting, clinging-to-a rock style, SHOHIN bonsai.

All of my study is not completed yet, I got tired because I spent all morning in the suiseki exhibition, held on the second floor of the same building. I did however enjoy seeing an Amelanchier, Shadblow bonsai win one of the Kokufu Prizes. Also I noticed three Hemlock and many Shishigashira Japanese maples. Part 1 also had several too. Additionally, there as a Chinese hackberry, not often displayed. For the first time I saw a Japanese or Chinese plum Prunus salicina, NOT Japanese flowering apricot, Prunus mume, which is misnamed “Plum.”



I’ll probably notice more tomorrow. Think I’ll visit the bonsai exhibition first, then meander to the suiseki exhibition.


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