The 50th Gafu Ten Shohin Bonsai Exhibition was held on January 10-12, 2025 at the Miyako Messe Exhibition Center in Kyoto, Japan.
e 1st By the way, I figured out that I attended this first exhibition 50 years ago when I was apprenticing in Omiya Bonsai Village! This year to commemorate the historic achievement there were quite few additional special bonsai container contest (including several foreign entries) numerous registered shohin bonsai containers, antique containers, a private bonsai collections, professional bonsai artists and several demonstrations and even a workshop for 15 students. The trees came out great, considering the pre-shaped trunks and small lengthy Sargent juniper foliage.
After the formal opening ceremony and traditional ribbon cutting I was positioned at the entrance to welcome visitors. I was VERY surprised to see most of the first visitors RUNNING to get to the large sales area, just like in the United States, but I’ve never seen visitors running in to sales area, and I have attended a few bonsai exhibitions. Perhaps, if we had material for sale like in Japan, Americans would also run….
In Part-2 I’ll discuss the complicated judging system and how this exhibition compared to the November Taikan Ten Bonsai Exhibition held in the same room.
In Part-2 I’ll discuss the complicated judging system and how this exhibition compared to the November Taikan Ten Bonsai Exhibition held in the same room.
