Would You Believe a Bonsai Just Sold for $100,000?

You’ll have to scroll down to see the $100,000 bonsai, but this famous Hinoki planting by the even more famous Masahiko Kimura, just sold at the Taikan ten bonsai show for a mere 1,800,000 Japanese yen (approx $16,000) You think you blew your budget this season? How about some of these bonsai that sold at last month’s annual Taikan ten bonsai show? I found them at Bonsai Kyogie (Victoria Australia). SITE WIDE SALE SAME DAY SHIPPING* Everything Is At Least 20% off Items already discounted are more than 20% off *Orders placed by 2:00pm EST will be shipped the same business day discounts are … Continue reading Would You Believe a Bonsai Just Sold for $100,000?

Bonsai Impressions – Texture, Movement & Color

It’s hard not to notice what just how powerful this tree 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. Our last few posts have featured bonsai from Kokufu-ten. Today it’s photos from Taikan-ten via Michael Bonsai on facebook. 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). You might notice that none of the photos shown here are conventional front shots that simply show the … Continue reading Bonsai Impressions – Texture, Movement & Color

Bold Bonsai & Added Attraction

I don’t mean to rush the fall season, but couldn’t resist this brilliant photo. The tree, a prize-winning Shishigashira Japanese maple is from a Peter Tea post on the 32nd Annual Taikan-ten bonsai exhibition in Kyoto. This photos shown here are lifted from a December 2012 Bark post titled An Embarrassment of Riches. In addition to the photos the post featured an added attraction; a list of some favorite bonsai blogs (below our ad at the bottom of the post). Here’s what Matt Reel has to say about this tree: “This Japanese Red Pine has such a broad apex it … Continue reading Bold Bonsai & Added Attraction

Coffee, Bonsai & Something for the Season

Trident maple at the 2013 Taikan-ten Exhibition. There’s a lot going on with the tree; three major trunks and a baby one sticking out the back, a large mounding nebari and a whole lot of movement. I particularly like the trunk on the right that emerges from the base of the nebari (the base of the base). I borrowed the photo from Bjorn Bjorholm. The color seems a bit off, but you still get the drift. It’s a busy time when catching up seems even less likely than usual. One solution is to delve back into our archives. This one … Continue reading Coffee, Bonsai & Something for the Season

A Bonsai Teaser

I found this extraordinary and unusual bonsai on Bonsai Nakayoshi’s facebook photos. What’s unusual is the planting configuration and overall shape. What’s extraordinary is also the configuration, overall shape and excellent ramification. Still traveling so we’ll just throw a few miscellaneous trees at you today. A bonsai teaser. Here’s a funky old Oak in a funky old pot (I can’t tell for sure if it’s just a weather beaten terra cotta training pot or ceramic pot shaped like one) with some deeply hatched bark. It’s from a before and after on Jean-Paul Polmans’ facebook feed. A spectacular trident … Continue reading A Bonsai Teaser

Show Time

This Japanese holly won a prize at the Taikan-ten. Photo is from Peter Tea’s blog. What happens when two American bonsai apprentices help prepare for a major Japanese bonsai show? A lot of work and energy go into a major bonsai show. What you see are the results; magnificent bonsai beautifully displayed. What you normally don’t see is everything else; the behind scenes efforts that make for a good show. Both Peter Tea (Journey of a Bonsai Apprentice at Aichi-en) and Jonas Dupuich (Bonsai Tonight) present a behind the scenes view of the Taikan-ten Bonsai Exhibition* in their latest posts. They … Continue reading Show Time