Each half of the Kokufu exhibit features a small number of shohin displays. The exhibit is set up to present the large trees first, then the medium bonsai, and finally the shohin. They’re the last bonsai you see before leaving the exhibit. Six-tree shohin display Like the larger trees in the exhibit, shohin bonsai are […]
Kokufu
Part two of the 100th Kokufu exhibit
For the past twelve years, the Kokufu-ten has been divided into two halves. For these double shows, the organizers set up the exhibit and open it to the public for a few days, then close for a day or two to reset the show with all new displays. This year the exhibit featured a whopping […]
Special trees at the 100th Kokufu exhibit
Last month the Japanese Bonsai Association hosted the 100th national exhibit, the Kokufu, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno Park, Tokyo. The event was busier than it has been in recent years, and a larger percentage of the visitors were foreign. As for the bonsai, there was a good number of special trees […]
How to determine the direction or flow of a bonsai
Some trees point left, others point right. White pine that points to the left(This and subsequent photos are from the 2020 Kokufu exhibition) Korean hornbeam that slants to the right There are a number of ways to indicate direction or flow in bonsai. In the above examples, the line of the trunk (from the base […]
A simple test to evaluate the integration of foliage and deadwood
A trick for evaluating the design of bonsai with prominent deadwood features.