The Kokufu-ten tour continues

The Kokufu-ten is known for both the quality of its trees and the quantity. The annual exhibit typically features around 250 bonsai displays. While the large displays contain one tree each, the medium displays typically contain two trees, and the shohin displays include up to 6 small trees – a lot of bonsai under the same roof. In recent decades every 10th exhibit is a double event – two back-to-back exhibits, one right after the other. For some reason this year’s exhibit, the 88th, was also a double event, each featuring 170 displays for a total of over 400 bonsai.

Visitors enter the exhibit on the museum’s ground floor and begin the tour with the larger trees. After visiting two rooms with large trees, visitors take the escalator to the next floor up where they are greeted by the medium displays. After following these around a corner the exhibit concludes with small-sized bonsai. Today we’ll look at some of Kokufu’s medium-sized bonsai.

Medium sized bonsai at Kokufu #88, part 2

Of special note this year was an entry by Italy’s Bruno Beltrame – a Chinese juniper with a Chinese quince. Beltrame’s juniper was recognized with a Kokufu-sho, or Kokufu Prize – the first time the award went to a non-Japanese exhibitor.

Chinese juniper – Kokufu Prize

Chinese quince – and yes, that’s a bunny riding a doe pursued by a monkey

Here then are some more of the trees one can reasonable be expected to carry on their own.

Japanese white pine

Japanese white pine

Japanese flowering quince ‘Chojubai’

Zelkova

Japanese white pine

Chinese juniper

Japanese white pine

Dwarf star jasmine – Kokufu Prize

Japanese flowering quince ‘Chojubai’

Korean hornbeam

Japanese white pine

Japanese maple

Needle juniper

Chinese quince

Chinese juniper

Japanese flowering quince ‘Boke’

Japanese black pine

Japanese flowering quince ‘Chojubai’

Trident maple

Japanese flowering quince ‘Chojubai’

Japanese white pine

Japanese flowering quince ‘Chojubai’

Tune in next week for more from the Kokufu-ten.