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Italian, Alessandro Bonardo, now 24, has been an apprentice under Mr Kimura for 6 years and in May 2022, it was formally announced that he had graduated. Within the garden he is affectionately known as Aless. Mr Kimura prepared a tree, an unusually shaped Miyajima white pine for this demo,
Masayuki Fujikawa transforms a white pine by changing the angle and compacting an elongated trunk. One of the best characteristics of this tree is the aged appearance of the bark, making it look as though it was just collected from the mountains. Additionally, the leaf characteristics and the power in…...
How to make a cascade-style bonsai A kengai or cascade is inspired by trees found in harsh mountainous conditions, growing on rocky cliffs. It is this which makes it one of the most dramatic and exciting styles. We will explain how to create a convincing cascade using coniferous and deciduous…...
Carving juniper deadwood with Master Kunihiko Kanemitsu Kunihiko Kanemitsu, of the Okayama City Kanemitsu Bonsai Studio, presents a dramatic contrast between life and death within the confines of a pot. Natural raw material is almost non-existent now. Even field or container grown trees are harder to come by, like juniper,…...
How to create foliage pads on the so popular five needle pine, work on its roots and watering It’s needless to say that five needle pine (Pinus parviflora) is a very popular species for bonsai. It is a robust variety and adapts well to different situations. There is a long…...
Andrei Bessonov’s final work as an apprentice to Master Kimura After six years of apprenticeship under Mr Kimura, this is the ‘final test’ for Andrei, with a tree that was obtained specifically for this purpose. Multiple trunks on this aged old white pine give it a very scenic feel. The…...
Making the most of a bad pine Masayuki Fujikawa brings out the hidden character of a white pine (Pinus parviflora) Looking at the four photos below, there is nothing of note that one feels makes this a tree worth working on. The position of the apex goes both ways and…...
This is one of the most popular of the Asian pines for bonsai work and garden use. The two species of the white pine commonly seen as imported bonsai in the west are: Pinus Parviflora var. ‘Negishi’, with its very blue leaves and P. Parviflora var. ‘Zuisho’, which has very…...
Spring time is rush hour for repotting your bonsai, but choosing the right pot cannot be hurried. Spring arrives and it is the ideal time to repot your bonsai. Mostly it’s necessary, but it is also an opportunity to plant the tree you created in its final pot, or in…...
Bonsai exhibited in traditional Japanese rooms surrounded by mountains and forests puts bonsai in the right perspective. The 10th Genkoukai exhibition is a small-scale show that renders one humble and serene. The Genkoukai is a group of both bonsai and suisekienthusiasts who have a strong desire to study and appreciate…...
Pacific Bonsai Museum launches a kickstarter book We are excited to announce that we launched our Kickstarter to publish our first-ever book about our collection: A Gallery of Trees: Living Art of Pacific Bonsai Museum. 200 pages, hardcover, exquisitely designed by Will Hays–you’ve never seen a bonsai book like this…...
learn how to make a bunjin How does one get the branches right? Using the bunjin-gi, or literati style, as a guide, we give an insight into how the branch placement works This can be a difficult topic since, in literati, creativity plays out in our imagination while at the…...
Paolo Nastasi travelled to the land of the rising sun to deepen his knowledge Years ago there was no tradition of going to Japan to improve one’s knowledge. However, times have changed… Taisho-en, run by Masters Nobuichi Urushibata and his son Taiga, was one of the first to give foreign…...
Ken Fujiwara dares to take the risk Here’s a very strange, fantastic-looking white pine, where the lower branches have died and the top has been allowed to grow wild. There are few enthusiasts who would be interested in this material if they saw it at a bonsai garden. It has…...
