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Dear Bonsai Enthusiasts.
Now the latest video from our Members series, focusing on the intricate art of creating deadwood in Juniper bonsai is ready to watch. This two-part series delves into both the aesthetic and technical aspects of this fascinating technique.

Before I went to Japan I studied with Boon Manakitivipart. He taught how to maneuver your hands in pines to avoid breaking the needles, a lesson that has paid many dividends over the years in not mangling the pines I was working on. 

The process of looking for pre-bonsai can differ from person to person depending on one’s interest in growing bonsai. You can select trees that give you an opportunity to work on skills you want to improve, or buy a tree with great potential that requires a significant amount time to develop. In either case, the goal is typically the same: to find the best trunk possible (the tree with the greatest potential) that’s within your budget.

As a member you can take part in the discussion and get advices. Watching the recorded Live Q&A will give you the full insights. Watch it here https://shohin-europe.com/bonsai-video-studio-2/live-qa-november-2024/

We tend to think of large cuts as being structural, and small ones as being maintenance. This is an example where small cuts are structural. 

Winter is a season of quiet beauty, and what better way to celebrate it than by incorporating a bonsai into your home decor? Whether you have a traditional tokonoma or a modern living room, a bonsai can bring a sense of tranquility and elegance to your space. Here’s how to set up your bonsai, honoring Japanese traditions while embracing the freedom of Western art.

One of the benefits of viewing bonsai in natural light is that the light changes throughout the day. When the light is direct, you might catch dramatic shadows that highlight select details. When the light is filtered or indirect, trees can take on a glow that can bring out the color of the foliage or the bark on deciduous trees.

When creating a formal, traditional bonsai composition it is important to suggest seasonality. This can be easily suggested in several ways; the bonsai, scroll or accessory (companion planting, art or figurine.) These should not be duplicated in a composition. For example, do not display a flowering bonsai with a flower inspired scroll painting or a flowering companion planting. It would also be strange to suggest an autumn season with a colorful maple which is also duplicated in the painting. A booming autumn flowering or grass companion might be ideal.

The 44th Nippon Bonsai Taikan Exhibition is now being held on November 22-25, 2024 at the Miyako Messe Exhibition Hall in Kyoto, Japan. This is the second most important bonsai exhibition in Japan and visitors from around the world travel to see, study and find out what is new in the Japanese bonsai community.

Today we visited the studio of Masahiko Kimura who is often referred to as “The Magical Technician of Contemporary Bonsai” because of his unique talents and creative expressions of bonsai art. He was among the first to use power tools and show the global bonsai community new techniques and tools for shaping and refinement.