• 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

Final stroll through the Taikan-ten sales area

January 15, 2016 by Jonas Dupuich

Many businesses in Japan announce closing time by playing a song called Hotaru no Hikari – The Light of the Firefly. It’s based on the tune of Auld Lang Syne. When the tune begins, you know it’s time to wrap up whatever is going on.

It’s hard to leave a good bonsai show at the end of the day. What’s surprising is how hard it is to leave the sales area. Partly because there is so much to see, partly because there are hidden treasures just waiting to be discovered, and quite possibly because there is so much that’s desirable but unattainable.

As I heard Hotaru no Hikari begin on the last day of the Taikan bonsai exhibit, I made a final pass through the sales area as the vendors began packing so many items that would be so fun to take home.

Taikan-ten sales area

The trees below are arranged in order of price, from the least to the most expensive. For those curious about the prices, the character “万” or “man” (rhymes with “on”) represents ¥10,000. “円” is the Japanese character for yen (¥).

.2

Whips

1

Trident maples

White pine

2.8

White pine

Ginkgo – note the low-cost alternative to bonsai pots

5

Winterberry

12

Trident maple

15

Trident maple

28

Trident maple

35

Satsuki

55

White pine

Needle juniper

Variegated jasmine

lots

Trident maple

And lest we forget the available suiseki or pots, here are a few examples of each.

suiseki

Suiseki

130 pot

Tofukuji above, kowateri shudei below

150 pot

Heian Kouzan – mid 20th century

✕

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: Excursions Tagged With: Japan, Taikan-ten

Previous Post: « Shimpaku at the Taikan-ten sales area
Next Post: Dropping in on a Bonsai Intensive »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sage Smith says

    January 16, 2016 at 5:55 am

    That was a truly beautiful stroll my friend. I was particularly fond of the massive Ginkos, the great little root over rock Trident and the Winterberry. As always thanks for sharing

  2. japanesepots says

    January 16, 2016 at 2:59 pm

    That last pot Isn’t an antique at all. It’s a really great mid 20th century Heian Kouzan.

  3. japanesepots says

    January 16, 2016 at 3:00 pm

    First photo is a Tofukuji up top, also mid 20th century, and a Kowatari Shudei on the bottom. The only antique of the three 😉

  4. Jonas Dupuich says

    January 16, 2016 at 3:30 pm

    Thanks Ryan!

    • japanesepots says

      January 16, 2016 at 3:31 pm

      My pleasure, as usual.

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