2025 50TH Gafu Ten Shohin Exhibition Part- 2

The Gafu Shohin Bonsai Exhibition was held in the same venue and exhibition hall as the Taikan Ten Bonsai Exhibition only six week ago. Even though both exhibitions were similar and had most of the same vendors. Both were sponsored by different organizations and had most of the same people running the show, so most were familiar faces to me.

But, I personally had different feelings for both exhibitions although the foreign visitors were warmly welcomed. The security for this year’s exhibition was very evident with several security men walking around, carefully watching the visitors. There was a simple unobtrusive white wooden barrier around all the displays. ALL the doors in the entire huge exhibition center were locked, I checked them all and my favorite entrance was locked too. Even the many vendors were not allowed into the exhibition until about 40 minutes before the opening ceremony and ribbon cutting. After putting on, the white gloves I dropped golden official scissors on to the red carpet. But the owner of Kinbon publication, next to me picked them up for me. I did not fall during the three-day exhibition and another show in Nagoya. However, the tour is not over yet, tomorrow we will visit and go container shopping in Tokoname. During the past ten years or so I annually walk about 5-6 miles per day for the three-day November exhibition, and now the three-day Gafu Ten exhibition. I’m “usually” using my cane with an Apple Air Tag so it does not get lost when I accidently put it down.

Judging for the Gafu ten Shohin Bonsai Exhibition was held on Thursday. I’m not one of the judges for this exhibition, but did get permission and a special name tag to watch the judging. The entire display area was closed to the public and I watched guards turning people away. Good thing I had permission. The process is very complicated and I was surprised how the judging took place. There were over 130 display areas containing over 677 individual specimens. I was completely surprised that each bonsai is not evaluated! On each voting ballot, there are only three categories, each worth 10 points. 1 Tree quality. 2 Container value and suitability. 3 Overall composition of the display composition. It seems as though equal emphases is placed on the container and how they are arranged. Ballot image below.

Now for the size categories, mini-bonsai 7cm, mini-bonsai 10cm, Shohin bonsai 20cm. I have not seen or heard the word Mame Bonsai for several years.

Perhaps the increased security is to avoid theft of these tiny treasures. I got lucky photographing the trees and displays which interested me. After judging, every one of the 677 trees were removed and baptized in water until the bubbles stopped. Every display area had a blue piece of plastic and newspaper for allowing the trees to drain. When I arrived on Saturday morning every bonsai was on the draining matt. But they were quickly put back on display before the official opening. By the way, a few years ago I was told that each exhibition has different size categories. There were two different container contests and displays. The first display featured registered important masterpiece containers, which were not judged, but put behind glass. Tim Priest had one of his exquisite containers accepted for display for the sixth time. 

There was also a new container contest, with several entries from foreign countries. I recognized Gayle Fiato and Pitoon Ekarintaragun, both from New York state.

This was an excellent and special exhibition of shohin bonsai. I got brain freeze, all the trees and compositions began to look alike. When that happens to me I simply walk into the sales area to make purchases. Then I return back to the exhibition to continue my studies. I always see something I missed….

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