A good place to start a tour of Tokoname kilns is Marutatu Isomura Shouten. It’s a warehouse full of Tokoname bonsai pots from different makers. Upstairs in the Marutatu warehouse Marutatu warehouse Most of the smaller pots are downstairs. Small pots at Marutatu Bonsai pots Bigei pots From there, you can visit nearby kilns like […]
Excursions
Excursion posts feature visits to bonsai gardens in the U.S. and in Japan, visits to the Kyoto's Most Renown Gardens, and trips into the mountains to see junipers and pines in their natural setting.
A visit to the Gyouzan kiln – the creative containers of Yukizyou Nakano
The Gyouzan kiln is well-known for producing some of Japan’s best contemporary bonsai pots. Why are these pots so well respected? Clean lines, solid builds and attention to detail could be a starting point for describing Gyouzan pots. For me, it’s their handmade character that makes them stand out. Straight lines are essentially straight but […]
A visit to the Koyo kiln
One highlight of my recent visit to Japan was a day trip to Tokoname where a group of us visited several well-known kilns. Our first stop – the Koyo kiln. Koyo – the kiln established in 1970 by Kouichirou Aiba, is best known for its glazed pots. Today the kiln is run by Aiba’s son, […]
Koju-en shohin bonsai nursery
I recently returned from a trip to Japan for the World Bonsai Convention. Before getting to the show, I was able to visit a number of bonsai and satsuki nurseries that were new to me. The first of these was Koju-en. Koju-en Koju-en is a Kyoto bonsai nursery run by Tomohiro Masumi. Masumi is a […]
The trees of Bonsai Shohin Japan
Bonsai Shohin Japan was one of the many traders at this year’s Noelanders Trophy. As their name suggests, the nursery specializes in small bonsai imported from Japan. Ume Shimpaku The nursery is run by the very friendly Guillaume and Alex. Guillaume and Alex I was impressed by their material. They work closely with a variety of […]