Bonsai tree: Gomangoku – the Daiju-en family bonsai exhibit

Gomangoku – the Daiju-en family bonsai exhibit

Gomangoku is the Daiju-en family’s annual bonsai exhibit – it was held a few weeks ago over the first weekend in November. The phrase “Daiju-en family” refers, in this case, to Toru Suzuki, head of the Daiju-en garden in Okazaki, Aichi, and all of the available bonsai professionals who have studied there with Suzuki.

Daiju-en extended family with the glaring omission of Toru Suzuki. Standing: Ken-senpai, Hino-senpai, Tok-senpai, Yasuo Mitsuya, Peter Tea, me, Junichiro Tanaka. Squatting: Fu-senpai, Taka-senpai, Isao-senpai, Uch-senpai. A wonderful bunch of very talented bonsai professionals.

Gomangoku is a relatively small exhibit at around 50 displays, but the quality of the trees is very high. Peter Tea has written a great rundown of the event – see Gomangoku 五万石盆栽展 (Daiju-en show) 2011 for the full story. I was able to tag along as I’m spending time in Japan through Peter’s Apprenticeship Program at Aichi-en. Helping with the exhibit was a great experience – here is an overwhelming number of photos from the event.

Sitting in a miniature forest

The photo setup used by the Kinbon folks

Uch-senpai, currently 3 years into his apprenticeship at Daiju-en, sitting with Mr. Moriyama’s very large shimpaku

Posing next to a great Japanese maple from Ooishi

Giant maple greeting visitors at the front door

Adding the final touches before the night before show opens

White pine

Choujubai quince

Rose

Pyracantha

Accent

Princess persimmon

Needle juniper

Akebia

White pine

Trident maple

Pyracantha

Japanese beech

Needle juniper

Choujubai quince

White pine

White pine

Needle juniper

Needle juniper

Japanese maple

Accent

Yew

Kaido

Needle juniper

Pyracantha

Korean hornbeam

White pine

Persimmon

White pine

Accent

Jasmine

Needle juniper

Japanese maple

Bonus points for those of you who have noticed a second glaring omission – there are no black pines pictured here! Daiju-en is well-known for their pines – I’ll share them in a future post.

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Bonsai tree: 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 also present some great shots of the trees.

* The tree’s Jonas presents have been prepared for four different shows, rather than just the Taiken-ten.

This powerful Black pine is a picture of perfection after a thorough prepping by Jonas. From Bonsai Tonight.

This Hemlock floors me. It’s the ancient bark and the unique top section of the trunk (among other things). From Peter Tea.

This rough bark Japanese maple is one of Peter’s favorite trees at the show.

Another Black pine that Jonas wired and cleaned up to show. In addition to the shear beauty of the tree itself, you might notice how well Jonas cleaned and oiled the pot. Now if everyone who photographs their bonsai would only do the same…


Peter doing some last minute pruning on a Trident maple.

Jonas giving us some scale for this large Japanese Black Pine. Photo by Peter.

The electric toothbrush technique. Photo by Jonas.

Source: Bonsai Bark Read more!