The 2011 Sakufu-ten
I had long been curious about the Sakufu-ten. I’d visited Kokufu and seen the books from past Sakufu-ten, but didn’t know much about the event beyond that.
Toward the end of my visit to Japan, I learned that my flight home was scheduled for the same weekend as Sakufu. Not only did I not want to miss the event, but my ride to the airport, Junichiro Tanaka, was scheduled to be in Tokyo the same day, receiving the award for top large conifer. Before the day was out, I’d changed my flight. I was going to Tokyo.
The drive from Nagoya filled about half a day. Upon arriving in Tokyo, the three of us, Tanaka, Peter Tea and I, headed straight to the Green Club to set up Tanaka’s tree. Everyone else had set up their display before lunch – we arrived just before sundown. We walked past many beautiful displays with tree and stand in hand and found an empty display on the second floor with a photo featuring a familiar white pine. As soon as the tree stopped teetering on its stand, Peter and I took in the rest of the exhibit.
It was getting chilly when we headed to our hotel about a mile away. We checked in, relaxed for a bit, then headed out for dinner in Ueno. Dinner was a fantastic affair that entailed many delicacies that we could not identify. Sometimes it’s better that way.
Korean hornbeam with spectacularly dense branches
Cypress
Black pine
Spruce
Trident maple
White pine on a rock
Japanese maple – very good trunk
White pine
Satsuki azalea
Japanese flowering quince, ‘Chojubai’
Japanese pepper tree
White pine
Very old pot
Satsuki azalea
White pine
Shimpaku
Black pine
Jasmine
White pine
Shimpaku rock planting by Kimura
Sakufu-ten – the bonsai professional’s exhibit
Sakufu-ten – the bonsai professional’s exhibit
Most bonsai exhibits in Japan provide enthusiasts the opportunity to show off and receive credit for their trees. One exhibit, the Sakafu-ten, provides bonsai professionals direct recognition for their work. As such, Sakufu-ten prizes are valued highly by many professionals. And unlike the multiple Kokufu prizes awarded every year, there is only one grand prize awarded at each Sakufu-ten.
Professionals submit their trees for judging in Fall and learn who the winners are soon after. The trees are photographed at this time as well. A month or two later, the trees return to Tokyo in December for the exhibit.
Last year’s exhibit was held on the first weekend of December at the Green Club in Ueno, home to the massive sales area during the Kokufu exhibit in February. The exhibit occupies the first two floors of the Green Club. A related exhibit is held on the third floor that consists solely of Important Bonsai Masterpieces. Outside the Green Club, vendors offer the usual variety of trees, pots, tools and the like.
Sakufu-ten sales area
Trees for sale – nice gardenias
The S-CUBE sales area
Cryptomeria for sale – 15万 (almost $2,000)
An award ceremony for prize winners is held on Saturday after the exhibit closes for the day. Most attendees were bonsai professionals in town for the exhibit.
2011 Sakufu-ten award ceremony
The top award is for best overall tree. By convention, this tree is a large conifer. The 2011 award went to Minoru Akiyama. Akiyama, who studied with Kunio Kobayashi at Shunka-en, was very excited to win the award.
Shinji Suzuki and impromptu hostesses supply flowers and a certificate to Minoru Akiyama
The award for large conifer is generally considered to be the number two prize at the event. The 2011 award for large conifer went to Junichiro Tanaka for a cascade white pine. Peter Tea provides a great write-up about preparing the tree for exhibit in “An Old Five Needle Pine Goes to Show.“
Junichiro Tanaka – 2011 winner, large conifer (white pine)
The number three prize is for best large deciduous tree. The 2011 award went to Takayuki Fukushima. Like Tanaka, Fukushima is a graduate of Daiju-en.
Takayuki Fukushima – 2011 winner, large deciduous bonsai (silverberry)
About nine prizes were awarded during the ceremony. The final prize went to Akio Kondo for a root over rock trident maple.
Akio Kondo – 2011 winner, Nippon Bonsai Association Award
I’ll share photos of the trees on display later this week.
A really full black pine
The Japanese black pine below was one of the many great trees I saw in the workshop during my visit to Aichi-en last fall. I caught Peter Tea cleaning it up for the sales area at Gomangoku. You can see a before photo on Peter’s blog.
What made the tree stand out to me? The fullness, the health, and the density of shoots were impressive, and the bark and roots were also very good, but above all, I appreciated the silhouette of the tree. Solid blocks of foliage can do a great job defining a tree’s character.
Good balance between the left and right sides of the tree, a clearly defined key branch – the lowest branch on the left – and a window in the foliage that reveals the trunk are all conventional markers of good pine bonsai.
Japanese black pine – front
When we look at the tree from the side, we can see that it “leans” strongly forward. Put another way, the apex lies in front of the center of the pot by a significant margin. This feature is common among pines in Central Japan, but I don’t see it as much on pines, or other trees for that matter, in Northern California.
Right side
Left side
The foliage in the back of the tree was solid and dense.
Back
Despite the tree’s beauty in this state, it was only intended to look this good for a short time. Normally, far more needles are removed in winter. Last I heard, the tree sold at the show but remains in the care of Aichi-en where it will continue to develop.
Bay Island Bonsai’s 13th Annual Exhibit!
If you are planning to be in Northern California this weekend, I strongly encourage you to head over to Bay Island Bonsai’s 13th Annual Exhibit at the Lakeside Garden Center in Oakland, CA. The event promises to be a good time. It’s our first exhibit in the location and we’re really looking forward to it – come join us!
Jojakko-ji and Tenryu-ji
Jojakko-ji was the hilliest of the temples I visited. Winding paths led higher and higher up the mountain until I could see Kyoto in the distance. The temple was founded around the end of the 16th century by Nisshen, 16th Head Priest of Honkoku-ji. Jojakko-ji’s website offers a step-by-step primer on the temple.
Niomon gate
Great roots
Memorial stone
Mossy hillside
Although the maples at Jojakko-ji were a week or two shy of peak color, there was still plenty to be seen
Tahoto (two-storied) Pagoda
Atop Jojakko-ji – Kyoto in the distance
Grave
Stone figures
Moss and maples
It took a while for me to find the next temple. Numerous pedestrian paths clogged with tourists wind through hills, houses, shops and an intimidating bamboo forest. I passed this bamboo gate just above the bamboo forest.
Bamboo gate
Fortunately, I made it to Tenryu-ji, Temple of the Heavenly Dragon, before dusk settled in. The entrance was understated. Once inside, I found an animated group pitching coins into a pond, trying to land the offerings in the lap of a frog atop a frog.
Good luck!
Pond with frogs and yen
Further inside the complex, I saw people strolling along a covered walkway that connected the various temple buildings. I couldn’t for the life of me find my way inside.
Tahoden
Rounding yet another aged temple building, I beheld Sogenchi Garden.
Sogenchi Garden
The garden was beautiful – and famous. I’d seen it in many Japanese landscape books. Turns out it is quite old. It was designed in the 14th century by Musou Soseki. It was the first Special Historical Scenic Area named by the Japanese government and has since been recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. The main hall was located right next to the garden.
Main Hall
The current main hall was built in the late 19th century. Over the years, the temple has been struck by fire 8 times, most recently in 1864. Set square against the pond, it offered great views of the garden. But I still couldn’t find a way in.
Maples across the pond
Great stone work
Famous red pine reaching across the water
Tenryu-ji has taken advantage of the Internet. They have a website and a twitter feed that features great photos of the garden throughout the year – it’s worth a visit.
Sogenchi garden and Main Hall
I left Tenryu-ji happy to have seen the garden, but puzzled at having missed the entrance to the temple buildings. As I headed toward Togetsu-kyo Bridge, Arashiyama’s tourist hub, I found more and more tourists. I headed against traffic for about half an hour before I saw the entrance to the temple. Turns the garden entrance and temple entrances are at opposite ends of the complex. Out front, I discovered one of my favorite stone arrangements.
Stone garden in front of Tenryu-ji
Once inside, I traversed the covered walkway and peered inside the temple buildings. Having finally seen the place inside and out, I spent my remaining time appreciating the garden.
Sogenchi garden from the main temple hall
So ended my two-day visit to Kyoto’s gardens. The next day I woke early to help with the setup at Taikan-ten. Before returning to my hotel in Otsu, I walked through downtown Kyoto and passed, again, the winding streets below Kiyomizu-dera where I found a shrine illuminated by scores of lanterns.
Yasaaka Shrine
Thanks for visiting Kyoto with me. I will return to the regularly scheduled bonsai blogging next week. Happy New Year!
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