The Art of Bonsai

Bonsai is the art of making miniature natural landscapes in pots using trees and other plants.

People often ask, how do they keep the bonsai trees small? Bonsai masters use various techniques to keep them small. Bonsai trees are living art. They constantly change. Bonsai masters spend extensive time and effort cultivating the trees. Typical trees are pine trees, maple trees and cherry trees.

According to the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), bonsai exports from Japan to foreign countries have been increasing every year, reaching 6 million dollars in 2001. Exports exceeded 7.5 billion dollars in 2004. It continues to grow even today. It is experiencing an unprecedented global boom.

About 40,000 people from 40 countries attended the 8th World Bonsai Convention held in Saitama Prefecture in April 2017. Over 5,000 bonsai enthusiasts participated in the exhibition, which featured over 300 works of art by leading bonsai artists. A demonstration was held. There was a long line of foreign tourists there, and the place was packed with people.

For a time, bonsai declined in Japan and was derided as a hobby for old people who had retired from work. However, foreign fans noticed the beauty of bonsai and took notice. As a result, the Japanese also rediscovered the value of bonsai and a new movement was born.

The formative beauty of bonsai has been understood all over the world, regardless of race. It is treated as a work of art. Recently, a bonsai priced at about $80 in Japan can be sold for more than $1,000 abroad. It's not uncommon. It is exactly the same as a work of art, with an increase in value. Bonsai trees that have been cultivated over a long period of time are highly valued in the eyes of experts.

It is said that the prototype of bonsai was introduced from China around 900 AD. Since then, it has evolved as a unique Japanese art and culture for 1100 years. According to old documents, monks and famous shoguns have also cultivated this living art form. As a result, bonsai has long been a hobby of the wealthy. After the popularization of bonsai in the modern era, critiques and analyses of bonsai grew and experts emerged. Since then, many variations of bonsai have been created and grown into a huge culture.

Bonsai isn't just about watering small plants. Many bonsai plants will exceed the pot's capacity if they are not cared for. For it to get too big means failure.

A bonsai is a long process of nurturing the plant into a beautiful shape over a long period of time. An important element for the tree to grow is the soil. You should choose the right soil for the plant you want to grow. It is also necessary to cover the surface of the soil with moss or pebbles to control the humidity of the soil. Bonsai must be maintained daily. You should observe the small branches and leaves often and remove the unnecessary ones. The direction of growth of the branches should be predicted, and subtle adjustments should be made repeatedly to ensure that they grow in the way that is imagined.

The grower must manage the health of the plant like a doctor. Advanced practitioners make fine adjustments to the angle of growth of trunks and branches to achieve perfection. They even control the root structure of the tree. But these are not forceful corrections. They observe the characteristics and abilities of each plant and adapt them to the world of the small pot. It is a very advanced technique. To do this, love for bonsai is essential. People who grow bonsai pour warmth into it as if they are raising their own children.

A beautiful bonsai never gets old. It is a microcosm of nature in a compact way. This is connected to the philosophy of Zen. While taking care of the bonsai, you will be in the same mental state as meditation. It also promotes mental health. A well-made bonsai tree is filled with amazing energy. They become a soothing and inspiring presence.

The art of growing good bonsai is very profound. In the world of bonsai, tradition is valued. There are many styles of bonsai. There is a lot to learn from them. The famous five-leaf pine bonsai, called the Seiryu, is said to be 350 years old. Its bonsai, inspired by the legendary dragon, is beautiful with its large, five-foot-long trunk. Some of the trunks are aged and dry, but that's exactly what it's aiming for. It has received high praise from experts for its wonderful formative beauty.

The bonsai is kept in the Saitama Bonsai Art Museum. Various masterpieces of bonsai are exhibited in this museum. Fans of bonsai from all over the world visit the museum. Now the splendor of bonsai has spread all over the world. In the future, a new generation of bonsai will be born in each country, with their own arrangements.

I am very much looking forward to the future development of bonsai.