It's hard not to notice what a powerful tree this is, even with the apex slightly nipped and most of the pot missing. It's a Japanese white pine from the 34th Taikan-ten Bonsai Exhibition.
Spring bonsai and other chores beckon and time is compressed, so we’ll delve back into our archives today. This one is from December, 2014.
All the photos in this post are from the 34th Taikan-ten Bonsai Exhibition (with the exception of the wiring photo just below). Taikan-ten takes place once a year in Kyoto and is considered by most people to be the second most important bonsai exhibition in Japan if not in the world (Kokufu is the king of bonsai exhibitions). I found them on Michael Bonsai facebook feed. The first three are Japanese white pines and the last one is a Japanese black pine.
a little wiring lesson from Bonsai Today issue 1
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One thing you might notice about these photos in that none of them are conventional shots (front shots that simply show the whole tree, pot, stand and all). Instead, the emphasis is more on features, or sometimes even abstract qualities of each tree. As much about texture, movement and color, as they are about bonsai.
You might recognize some of these trees. It’s not usual for famous old trees to show up again and again at the big bonsai shows. Often in different pots and sometimes after serious restyling.
All the bonsai photos shown here are from Michael Bonsai.
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