Kokubunji Bonsai Center
One of the highlights along our tour of the Kinashi Bonsai District was a visit to the Kokubunji Bonsai Center – and not just because they served udon to visitors. The center functioned like a large nursery with many, many pines and other varieties for sale. Better developed trees were displayed along the perimeter of the center.
Kokubunji Bonsai Center
Here’s a closer look at some of these trees (not sure if they were for sale or not).
Black pine
White pine on rock
Cork bark pine
Black pine
Black pine
Black pine
Black pine
Trident maple
Azalea
White pine
Yew
Black pine
Black pine
Black pine
Black pine
Black pine
Ilex serrata
Black pine
Black pine
Black pine
Black pine
The rest of the center was a gigantic lot filled with trees. The cork bark pines in particular were priced on the low side as the variety isn’t as popular in Japan as it once was.
So many trees to choose from!
Cork bark black pine – $240
Cork bark black pine – $480
Stones
Slabs
And finally, the ever-present garden tanuki.
Tanuki
Happy holidays one and all. Thanks for reading – see you next year!
Cool photos and post Jonas. I’ve looked through the website of the center many times, and read about it on the “Bonsai World” Takamatsu website.
Always love the Tanukis…that one seems sinisterly fertile!
Thank you Jonas for your suuperb Blog and the enormous amount of time you put into it. Happy Holidays
Merry Christmas. Thanks for sharing all the photos of Japanese bonsai. Connie from Chicago
Thanks Jonas, always appreciate your posts. The sure don’t think much of those corkers, do they?
Merry Christmas!
Jonas:
Wonderful photos……………if I lived in Japan I could purchase Akadama inexpensively, study Bonsai with talented experts, purchase Cork Bark Pines for $240……..can’t wait to move.
My question:
…..with Bonsai reported to be less and less popular as a recreational and creative activity for the average person……to whom are all these fantastic trees sold?
Best regards,
D/D
Chicago
Hi Daniel – good question. I’d guess the market there is pretty much like it is here, with a key difference being there’s more supply than demand these days. I get the impression that there are more nurseries that sell bonsai in Japan than in the US, but that most of these nurseries are not like the famous gardens we often read about. The prices for really good trees in Japan may not be what they were 10 years ago, but they are still high – many trees in the $5,000+ range – by US standards.
le foto del pino bianco sono meravigliose.
Complimenti vivissimi !!!
Debby
Jonas, it is the 29th of December, I am missing my BonsaiTonight fix. You don’t get to have a vacation, we depend on you!
John
(just a little humor to end the year. Happy New Years!)