Satsuki azalea bonsai at the World Bonsai Convention

The best thing about spring shows is the opportunity for color.

Gyokurei

Saien

This was the first spring show I’d attended in Japan. I was struck by how nice it was to see bright indications of the season.

Sayaka

Jukokan

Somewhere between one third to half of the satsuki bonsai on display at the 8th World Bonsai Convention were in bloom. For the most part, these trees had slender trunks and were covered with color head to toe.

Satsukibare

Asukanishiki

The rest of the satsuki on display were appreciated for more generalized bonsai characteristics – good roots, trunk and branch density.

Satsuki azalea with good fundamental bonsai characteristics

These azaleas took a variety of forms, from informal upright to multi-trunk to root over rock.

Informal upright

Multi-trunk – Hinotsukasa

Informal upright

Root over rock

Informal upright

Root over rock – great branch pad density

Some had massive trunks and meandering branches.

Great trunk and branches

Trunk detail

Large trunk and key branch

Meandering branches

Most of the satsuki bonsai were clustered together in a few areas. They provided great contrast to the mostly coniferous and deciduous varieties that filled the exhibit.

Root over rock

Possibly the result of fused whips

Informal upright