• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Bonsai Tonight

An educational website about bonsai development

  • Blog
    • How-to Guides
  • Podcast
  • Shop
    • Bonsai
    • Books
    • Soil
    • Soil (wholesale)
    • Supplies
    • Tools
    • Video Consulting
    • Northern California Bonsai Resources
  • About
    • Workshops

Hinoki workshop

August 20, 2010 by Jonas Dupuich

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend a Bay Island Bonsai workshop run by Daisaku Nomoto. I selected a tree I’ve been working on for the past 15 years – a hinoki. The tree improves every year, but slowly, as hinokis are notoriously slow growing. A year and a half ago, Boon and I performed some heavy bending to get the main branches closer to where we wanted them. This year the work really paid off. Here are some before and after pictures:

Front – before

Front

Front – after

Right – before

Right – after

Left side – before

Left side – after

Back – before

Back – after

The biggest change came when Nomoto removed the first cluster of branches on the left. We discussed this ahead of the workshop and I assented to the cutting. Here’s the branch as it appeared before the workshop with guy wires holding it in place.

Before – guy-wires are doing most of the work

There were two good reasons for removing these branches. First, they blocked the view of the trunk. Second, by replacing branches that grew low on the trunk with branches that emerged higher up, we could bend these branches at a steeper angle. The idea is that older branches tend to hang lower than younger branches.

Removing the branches – stubs will be used for jins

Nomoto removed enough foliage to make a hinoki fan.

Minor cutback and wiring filled the rest of the day. Nomoto moved between workshop participants, cutting, wiring, and offering advice as appropriate. When he got back to me, he typically set a few branches and told me to continue wiring.

Adjusting a branch

Nomoto setting a branch – note use of pliers

Nomoto applying wire

I occasionally looked up from my work to see what else was going on in the workshop. At one point, Nomoto was performing heavy bending with rebar. With a branch in one hand and pliers in another, he kept the rebar in place with his knee.

Heavy bending – prostrata juniper

Fortunately for me, the hinoki needed far less dramatic work, like the plucking of unnecessary foliage.

After setting a branch, Nomoto took care to remove any downward growing foliage. This creates well-defined pads and reveals the age of the tree by exposing the branches that comprise the pads.

Hinoki branch pad

As is often the case in re-stylings, the trick is getting the apex right. While the current silhouette is close to where I want it, some shoots weren’t long enough to fill in where I need them. It’s easy to see this from above.

Seen from above – after re-styling

I’m really happy with the way the tree turned out. For one, it finally approximates the design I had in mind for it 15 years ago. Even better, I now have a tree I can show in Bay Island Bonsai’s upcoming exhibit next January.

Happy with the results – excess foliage cover the turntable

Now 15 years in, I feel like I’m half-way there, and it’s a great feeling.

✕

Subscribe to Bonsai Tonight

New Posts Delivered Every Tuesday and Friday

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit

Filed Under: Bonsai Development, Styling Tagged With: Daisaku Nomoto, Hinoki

Previous Post: « Daisaku Nomoto – bonsai work
Next Post: Summer Soji »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Janet says

    August 20, 2010 at 8:34 am

    You’re Dad must be pleased 🙂

  2. Janet says

    August 20, 2010 at 8:34 am

    I mean “your”

  3. Peter Tea says

    August 20, 2010 at 9:42 am

    Very nice looking tree Jonas. I’ve longed for a nice Hinoki.

  4. Bruce winter says

    August 20, 2010 at 4:01 pm

    Thanks for showing this, not many good Hinoki around. Will it stay in the same pot for the show?

  5. Fr. Tom Davis says

    August 23, 2010 at 1:51 pm

    Very nice!
    I’ve been looking for ideas for my Hinoki that I purchased this past spring from the Bonsaimonk monastery in Conyers, GA. This article has given me some wonderful insights.
    Many thanks for sharing!

  6. Munezo says

    August 24, 2010 at 8:56 am

    I smiled like that when who’s now my wife agreed to a date with me!

  7. Munezo says

    August 24, 2010 at 8:57 am

    My work has been keeping me sooo busy that I missed EVERYTHING. After seeing what I missed, I’m not going to feel right coming back to workshops.

Footer

Follow Bonsai Tonight

Subscribe

Instagram ● Facebook ● Twitter
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Shop
  • About

P.O. Box 6560, Alameda, CA 94501 · 510-915-2025 · jonas (at) bonsaitonight (dot) com

© Copyright 2009-2023 Bonsai Tonight · All rights reserved · Privacy · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You can opt-out if you wish. Accept Decline Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT