Not too long ago we featured a photo of this magnificent old white pine in a post about the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum. Yesterday I got an email from the President of the National Bonsai Foundation, Felix Laughlin, who suggested that we post the whole story on this famous old tree. Take a look and be sure to get back to us if you know of another bonsai with a more interesting history.
Hiroshima Survivor
Thursday, March 8, 2001 was anything but a typical day at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. That morning two Japanese brothers landed at Dulles International Airport and, after checking into their hotel, headed straight to the Museum. Shigeru Yamaki, 21 years old, and his brother, Akira, 20, are the grandsons of the late bonsai master Masaru Yamaki, who in 1976 donated one of his most prized bonsai as part of Japan’s Bicentennial gift to the American people.
When the brothers arrived at the Museum, they approached one of the volunteers on duty that day, Yoshiko Tucker, asking her in Japanese for directions to where their grandfather’s bonsai might be found. Yoshiko and another volunteer, Michiko Hansen, quickly alerted Curator Warren Hill that important visitors had arrived. Warren then greeted the brothers and guided them to the magnificent Yamaki bonsai.
This Japanese white pine (Pinus parvifolia) is approximately 375 years old, and is the oldest specimen in the Japanese Bonsai Collection. Masaru Yamaki had made the gift of this bonsai before the brothers were born and so they had never seen it, although they were very familiar with it through photographs and family stories. As they stood respectfully in front of their grandfather’s ancient bonsai, Warren could not imagine the bonsai’s hidden past that was about to be revealed to him.
For the rest of the story including some great photos: http://www.bonsai-nbf.org/site/japanese2.html
WOW, to be able to pass on to those that follow the wonderful trees that we have loved.
May we all be so wealthy in the days God has given us.
Greg & Karen
I know they are not as old, but the trees from the Lars Collection have a pretty interesting story and are lucky to still be alive (theft, neglect and improper attention throughout time). I think they also reveal how bonsai styles have truly evolved over time.
Hey Owen,
Looks like you’ve been digging back through the ancient achieves. Some of the tree in the Lars Anderson collection are pretty old. And true, it’s a shame about the attrition of such an important bonsai collection.