A Visit To Kunio Kobayashi’s Shunka-en Bonsai Museum

Written by: Published in: Rss Feeds On: 19 November 2025 Read: 224 times

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A serene bonsai garden featuring several intricately shaped bonsai trees displayed in pots, with a traditional Japanese building in the background.

On the way to Kyoto for garden tours and the major Nippon Bonsai Taikan Exhibition this coming weekend, we stopped and enjoyed the warm hospitality of Mr. & Mrs. Kunio Kobayashi at their Bonsai Museum. Located in the Edogawa Ward of Tokyo it is visited by numerous foreigners from around the world. My good friend Megumi Kadokura from Omiya joined us for this and other visits to the Japanese bonsai world. Her grandfather had a major bonsai garden in the 1950s in Omiya, so she actually grew up with bonsai. Everywhere she joins us the bonsai community is familiar with her family’s bonsai garden.

A collection of bonsai trees displayed on wooden stands in a garden setting, with various styles of Japanese black pines visible.

A view from inside a bonsai museum showcasing various bonsai trees arranged on stands in a tranquil garden setting. There is a round stone table and wooden stools in the foreground, along with a few ornamental containers.

Mr. Kobayashi is a friendly talented, skilled and creative bonsai artist who has presented over 200 demonstrations in 30 countries. He has received all the top bonsai awards in Japan. He is well known for his impressive and huge Japanese black pine bonsai. Although I last visited his garden in late April on my way home from teaching in China, I was really amazed at the large number of large-size Japanese black pines in training. Large, heavy trunked trees require unusual mechanical tools for shaping.

Interior view of a traditional Japanese room featuring a bonsai tree on display, with wooden flooring and a wall scroll depicting a sunset.

A beautifully sculpted bonsai tree featuring intricate branches and lush green foliage, displayed on a moss-covered base, with a wooden stand underneath.

When our group arrived in the morning he was giving an interview to Oscar Joker from Holland who teaches under his Bonsai Empire business. As he was answering questions he moved back and forth from his studio to his reception room full of foreign guests and again into his studio.

Interior view showcasing a traditional Japanese room with a hanging scroll featuring calligraphy and a small vase with a delicate flower arrangement on a tatami mat.

A traditional Japanese scroll hanging on a wall above a bonsai tree with orange fruits, displayed on a wooden stand, in a minimalist setting.

A traditional Japanese interior featuring a hanging scroll with painting and calligraphy on the left, and a round, dark ceramic pot with grass and purple flowers on a decorative surface in the foreground.

A bonsai arrangement featuring vibrant blue flowers and various grasses in a round pot, displayed on a dark, textured wooden plate against a neutral background.

Mr. Kobayshi is presenting a demonstration on Saturday at the Nippon Bonsai Taikan Exhibition in Kyoto. He was cleaning out his four-man size Japanese black pine demonstration tree. He used an air compressor to blow away debris from the center of tree. I also noticed a leaf blower he also probably uses.

A Japanese black pine bonsai tree with a textured trunk, displayed in a traditional pot on a wooden stand, set against a rustic background.

A bonsai tree displayed in a lightweight cart on a gravel surface, surrounded by other bonsai pots and natural elements.

Close-up of a Japanese black pine bonsai tree, showing its bark texture, attached mechanical tools for shaping, and green rafia tied around branches.

A leaf blower resting on a round table with a wooden block nearby, surrounded by plastic crates and a green trash bin.

Close-up of a Japanese black pine bonsai tree's roots and trunk, showcasing metal support cables and moss-covered ground in a bonsai garden.

Many of the branches were tied and labeled with raffia circles indicating which branches he intends to remove and shape on Saturday. We watched as four small-sized, but strong apprentices loaded the tree in a truck while Mr. Kobayashi directed the move. Hopefully I’ll have an opportunity to watch and learn from this creative artist and report with a few images while he shapes this large bonsai. You will not believe how he intends to shape this bonsai! Stay tuned for an update on his demonstration later on this week.