The 44th Nippon Bonsai Taikan Exhibition is now being held on November 22-25, 2024 at the Miyako Messe Exhibition Hall in Kyoto, Japan. This is the second most important bonsai exhibition in Japan and visitors from around the world travel to see, study and find out what is new in the Japanese bonsai community.
Set up was on Thursday the day before the show opened. The best three trees in each category were brought onto long tables. A few of the categories included evergreens (LMS), deciduous (LMS) Satsuki azaleas (LMS), forest plantings, rock plantings and three sections of suiseki. At 1:30 pm the actual judging with 11 important authorities from Japan and three foreigners from China, Europe and the United States. A total of 20 awards were selected. I had selected 18 out of 20 winners.
After the final judging finished at about 2:45 pm the trees were returned to their assigned display positions.
On Friday and Saturday I’ll be conducting a walking tour of the exhibition.
New this year are demonstrations by Masahiko Kimura, Kunio Kobayashi, Shinji Suzuki and two other artists. The demonstrations took about two hours in length and Mr. Kobayashi and Mr. Kimura kind of worked on two bonsai together, which was very entertaining. Demonstrations will also be held on Saturday and Sunday. There is a $20 admission fee for each day. On Friday tickets sold out quickly and many viewers were sitting on the floor or standing in the back watching the artists (actors?) performing.
I hope you enjoy the accompanying images as much as I have, it was one of the better-quality Nippon Bonsai Taikan Exhibitions. More to comb!
Today we visited the studio of Masahiko Kimura who is often referred to as “The Magical Technician of Contemporary Bonsai” because of his unique talents and creative expressions of bonsai art. He was among the first to use power tools and show the global bonsai community new techniques and tools for shaping and refinement.
Currently Masahiko Kimura is considered to be a genius and innovator for bonsai and has started new movements to create highly refined sculptured masterworks.
Note the lower section of the stake has been colored white to blend in with the white dead wood areas
Mr. Kimura privately led me to his workroom in the back too show me all the bonsai he was entering the upcoming 99th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition.
Moss is being grown on rugs in the back of his studio for used when preparing his bonsai
Our semi-annual bonsai tour to the Japanese bonsai world began a couple a few days ago. Kora Dalager and I have been introducing friends from around the globe to the Japanese bonsai world for over 25 years.
This autumn tour includes 14 people from across the United States, Canada and Switzerland. A great friendly group to travel with, no troublemakers, slow pokes or lost participants…. So far.
Diane and I arrived a day early with some good friends so she would have time to visit and study the outstanding masterpiece bonsai of Hiroshi Takeyama, proprietor of Fuyo-en Bonsai Garden in Omiya Bonsai Village. When I was an apprentice in the bonsai village in 1971-72 the garden I was studying at was across the street from Mr. Takeyama’s garden, and whenever I had rare day off, I would simply walk across the street visit his garden, Fuyo-en Bonsai Garden which was founded by the father, Fuzaso Takeyama over 70 years ago.
All bonsai artists seem to have a specialty, like carving old collected junipers with full of distinctive dead wood focal points or training pines and maples from seed or creating rock plating bonsai featuring a single species.
There are two different methods for creating bonsai; training collected trees or by actually growing the trees from seed, cuttings and air layering. Both methods have advantages and advantages and disadvantages. Basically, shaping old collected trees which requires creativity and skill which does not take a long time; or by growing and developing bonsai from seed, cuttings and other cultivated methods which requires patience and often several decades. But the end result is the same a beautiful, artistic living work of art. When creating from collected and old trees, the artist makes a bonsai using an established tree and attempting to work around plant features, trying to solve “problems” or unusual shapes often requiring design comprises to create art which requires less time than growing and developing “cultivated bonsai,” from young material, like cuttings, seed and younger trees right from the beginning from which really requires long periods of time. However, when training a cultivated bonsai there should be no excuse for not developing an ideal shape; while working with old and collected trees, one must actually work with what you have (because focal points have already been selected) or to add branches or trunks to develop distinctive work of art.
Basically, one method uses “subtraction,” and the other method requires “addition or growing” necessary branches to develop an almost “ideal” shape. Both of these methods are excellent and rewarding which often requires the use both methods. One method is not better than the other.
Both father and son Takeyama specialize in creating forest, rock planting or using unusual deciduous species. Since this these are my favorite group of bonsai, I appreciate the time and talent the Takeyama family have contributed to the bonsai world.
Attached are several images I took which I found interesting in my study of classical bonsai art.
I love unusual plants for their distinctive sizes, structures, foliage, fruit and growth characteristics. About ten years ago Darlene Hutt from Ohio posted her Ryusen weeping Japanese maple garden tree on the Bonsai Nut Forum. The severe winter of 2014 decimated her weeping Japanese landscape garden tree and all that was alive was the lower branch. All the dead branches were removed and all she had now was a tree with a weeping branch. She potted it and posted an image of it calling it a potted tree, not bonsai.
I saw the image and immediately wanted to purchase it, as the cultivar and shape interested me. Darlene could not sell the maple because it’s her husband’s favorite tree. She provided the photos and information on her training a Ryusen weeping Japanese maple bonsai beginning in 2014.
Darlene Hutt Ryusen Weeping Japanese Maple Bonsai Development
Screenshot
May 20i4
October 2017
October/November 2017
February/March 2019
April/May 2019
March 2020
March/April 2020
March 2021
March 2021
August/October 2023
October 2023
April 2024
October 2024
So, I had to visit a local garden center in June 2020 and got lucky! They had several Ryusen weeping Japanese maples growing in three-gallon pots. I carefully studied the plants, removed a bit of surface soil and selected the tree with the best graft union and root base for $75. I should have returned and bought them all, but unfortunately did not, as I was uncertain about the cultivar and shape.
So now I’m interested with this cultivar and want to know all about Ryusen weeping Japanese maple and began researching knowledgeable sources, and would like to share some information.
Valavanis Ryusen Weeping Japanese Maple Bonsai Development
April 2020
Trunk base
June 2020
November 2020 October 2021
August 2022
October 2023
I could not find the rebar needed for forming an interesting cascade trunk, so I used a Rough bark Japanese maple branch which was removed a few years ago from my original Arakawa Japanese maple which is about 40 years old. Even a surface root, about five feet from the main trunk has rough bark!
March 2024
Trunk base August 2024
August 2024
November 2024
Ryusen Weeping Japanese Maple History
There are well over 1,000 different cultivars of Japanese maples. They vary from seed, some grow variegated foliage or have other distinctive features horticulturists search for. There are several different Japanese maples with weeping shapes. Ryusen weeping Japanese male was introduced to the world by the Kobayshi Momiji-en nursery in Saitama Prefecture, near the Omiya Bonsai Village. It was found and selected by Kazuhara Kobayashi in 1990.
This chance seedling came from the cultivar ‘Jiro Shidare,’ which was named after the elder nurseryman Jiro of the Kobayashi Momiji-en. This tree comes from the lineage of Nakamando Weeping Japanese maple which is a national treasure in Japan and over 400 years old, growing in a temple in Fukushima Prefecture, north of Tokyo.
This tree was first introduced to the United States under the name ’Ryusei’ (Dragon Spirit) from several different nurseries such as Highland Creek Nursery which Mr. Maple Nursery purchased in 2013 and Buchholz Nursery purchased last year. It was later brought over by Ozzie Johnson and patented by ItSaul Plants in 2006 under the name of ‘Ryusen.’
Description
Ryusen weeping Japanese maple PP#18,501 is a new pendulous Japanese maple with palmate foliage and amazing form. This small, elegant tree adds a unique form with an exotic appeal. The spring new growth is chartreuse green which contrasts with the older dark-green foliage. The summer foliage is dark green and is a dependable maple for brilliant reddish/orange leaves.
Dependable autumn coloring
This amazing small form of weeping Japanese maple is extremely pendulous and the unique shape makes it ideal for specimen garden trees, container grown ornamentals and of course bonsai training. One of my students has a few growing in hanging baskets which create a focal point in his garden. It can be used in many different creative forms in the garden with staking and pruning.
It is very heat tolerant and winter hardy in the USDA 5-9 zones, including Rochester, New York, even when container grown. It is easy to shape with wire and rebar and only takes one season to hold the new desired shape. I have not tried to defoliate the tree to encourage smaller foliage and twig ramification.
The above information was provided by Tim Nichols co-owner of Mr. Maple Nursery with his brother, Matt in North Carolina. They are the premier source for over 1,000 different Japanese maple cultivars plus a wide assortment of unique woody ornamentals. The two brothers, second generation Japanese maple growers, are interested in promoting Japanese maples and information. They have a weekly podcast plus daily YouTube videos, all well produced and interesting. They even have a Mr Maple Show! They are primarily a mail order nursery and carefully pack and ship plants around the country. Mr Maple the best source for Ryusen weeping Japanese maples and have an impressive catalog and presence on the web
Check out: WWW.MrMaple.com to see what they offer.
Check out their excellent video on Ryusen Weeping Japanese maples
In a few days our semi-annual exploration of the Japanese bonsai world tour will begin. We will, of course, visit the Tokoname kilns to see and perhaps purchase a few containers.
Each time I travel to Japan I photograph bonsai which deserve new containers. Considering the size, shape and colors, but more importantly their quality. Most Westerners do not consider the quality of containers because they are working on high levels of bonsai, especially considering when the trees are displayed. I have been known to purchase 12 containers for one bonsai for displaying in different seasons and styles of displays, only to return home to find a better container in my secrete bonsai container collection. I’m searching for four containers and my friend Dave Steele is looking for six new containers. Below are a couple of the pages, with important dimensions, we have prepared to make container shopping easier.
Note the sizes of the trees in relation to the containers. The dimensions have been converted to centimeters, to make measuring easier in. The dimensions provided are the most important factors I carefully consider when selecting new containers, PLUS the size of the container the tree is in.
Wish me luck finding new homes for a few of my favorite bonsai. But, if I don’t find them in November, I’ll another opportunity in January and again in February when returning to Japan for the Gafu Bonsai Exhibition, the Meifu Bonsai Exhibition and of course, the Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition in February.
The autumn 2024 colors have come and gone (almost as there are about 10 Dwarf maple bonsai masterpieces which have not completely changed color.)
We were able to capture some individual bonsai in peak color, and I felt fortunate to enjoy them, as a reward for the great care my crew and family provided daily throughout the growing season.
Unfortunately, the autumn colors peaked while I was in California for the excellent 2024 Pacific Bonsai Expo in late October. Truthfully, I was quite disappointed with the autumn colors this season even the peak period was not as vibrant as in the past.
Below is my favorite autumn garden photo from November 2018. Perhaps we might have to wait another six to seven years to catch the beauty at the right time, when most of the trees change color at the same time. But, for now we are enjoying some autumn beauty.
Additionally, new this year, were super demonstrations, mini-lectures and a panel discussion with two of the top bonsai containers potters from Tokoname, Japan. There was also a bonsai potter from New Zealand selling his art. Each program was well attended or packed full of eager bonsai enthusiasts. Jonas Dupich “presented” a discussion on judging bonsai, but unfortunately a non-scheduled fire emergency alarm required everyone to promptly and safely leave the building. This entire event took less than 30 minutes to resolve and visitors appreciated a short visit outside in fresh air and sunny skies.
The sales area was huge with over 60 different vendors from across the United States, Japan and New Zealand, making this the largest bonsai vending area… to date. Vendors brought their finest trained bonsai, pre-bonsai, containers, tools, wire, scrolls, books and magazines. Much of the plant material for sale were quite large in size.
A heartfelt message of appreciation from the entire bonsai community goes to Jonas, Eric and Andrew along with their army of volunteers for producing the Pacific Bonsai Expo 2024 which represents some of the finest bonsai in the United States. Producing a national event like this required two years of planning, long hours of preparations and considerable funds. I look forward to the next Pacific Bonsai Expo in 2026. Now is the time to prepare your entries.
This was a juried exhibition and approximately 300 photos were submitted. Judges included Bjorn Bjhorholm, Eric Schrader, Michael Hagedorn and David DeGroot. They carefully reviewed every entry and only selected the finest bonsai which will produce a well-balanced exhibition considering species, sizes, color and different styles.
Each of the 74 bonsai compositions were designed, trained and grown by the owner or with the assistance of professional bonsai artist.
Every bonsai was allotted a six or eight-foot display area with a lovely solid non-creased grey background. It was up to the exhibitors to fill their assigned areas using the bonsai which was pre-judged. As the trees arrived each was professionally photographed for the Commemorative Album which will be produced in the future. After finally setting up the displays the room was emptied and judged by the exhibitors themselves. Directly after the judging a twilight evening Friday reception was held in the exhibition area to show appreciation to all the sponsors, donors, helpers and most importantly the exhibitors who shared the beauty of their bonsai.
The highly successful second Pacific Bonsai Expo was held on October 26-27, 2024 at the Henry J. Kaiser Center in Oakland, California. Stars of the educational event were the 74 formal bonsai compositions displayed by exhibitors from across the country from California to New York. The venue this year was considerably larger than the Expo in 2022. This offered more space to appreciate the bonsai without crowding. Over1,600 weekend passes were sold before the event, with a great number of walk in visitors.
Giant Sequoia
Giant Sequoia
This large national-scale exhibition was sponsored by a new non-profit organization formed so the Expo can financially continue into the future. Organizers Eric Schrader, Jonas Dupich, and Andrew Robson along with an army of volunteers did a superb job organining, hosting and preparing the high-quality bonsai displayed at their best. Having sponsored and helped produce over 100 events, I can truly say that the entire Pacific Bonsai Expo was excellent and one of the top two national bonsai exhibitions in the United States.
The Toronto Bonsai Society is celebrating their 60th Anniversary Exhibition and Sale on October 11-13, 2024, at the Toronto Botanical Garden in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Achieving 60 years is a significant milestone that few other bonsai organizations have established a bonsai community yet.
The members and leadership of the Toronto Bonsai Society have successfully promoted bonsai for six decades, through exhibitions, displays, workshops, online zoom sessions, meetings, sponsoring international conventions and newsletters.
The 60th Anniversary Celebration includes some of the premier, iconic and legacy developed and created bonsai in Ontario, Canada.
The exhibition was well designed, it’s not their first show! All the containers were cleaned as well as the trees and appropriate display tables. You don’t see that at all exhibitions, but they have had practice for 60 years and know how to layout a show, welcome visitors, set up neat backgrounds, table coverings and skirting in a classy way. PLUS, they displayed some of the most beautiful bonsai created in all of Canada. The trees were well spaced out and had different size trees next to each other to provide visual interest.
The Toronto Bonsai Society is well known for their powerful old collected trees, mostly Eastern White Cedars and American Larch. There were many of them, but not overwhelming and on display for the three-day event. A great number of the displayed beautiful trees included those developed by members from common nursery grown trees as well as some grown from seed, cutting, division and air layers.
The true beauty of each bonsai was clearly shown, and a great number have been well trained with love for many decades. The Japanese bonsai community has a word often used to describe bonsai “mochigome” which means aged and grown in containers. Most of these trees had this feeling and was clearly seen with old flakey bark rounded crowns and especially the ground covering with several different species of moss and lichen. And, a great number of ground covers were not recently planted but carefully cultivated for years, some decades in containers. There are some things which cannot be instantly created and most of the trees demonstrated the love and devotion the Toronto Bonsai Society members have given to create, train and maintain their art and it is wonderful for them to share beauty to the public as well as seasoned bonsai growers.
Addition there was a suiseki display as well as stones used throughout the show which had over 112 individual trees. The Montreal Botanical Garden brought many of their old bonsai and Chinese pejingn to enhance the show and displayed mature, developed trees for inspiration.
I personally feel honored to be invited to teach, demonstrate and conduct a constructive critique from my different point of view, so the members could see things which instantly caught my eye, but were not clearly noticed. This style of constructive critique can only be valuable with a skilled artist having decades of bonsai study. My heart full appreciation was overwhelming to me personally and I hope the Toronto Bonsai Society continues with their success in teaching and promoting the beauty of bonsai in Canada. Congratulations on your 60th Anniversary!
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