We visited the 27th Nippon Bonsai Taikan-Ten Exhibition held at Miyakomesse in Kyoto with members of the bonsai department of the JA Kagawa agricultural co-operative’s Kokubunji branch.

Superlative Bonsai Exhibition of Western Japan

While the Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition held at Ueno in Tokyo is regarded as the best bonsai exhibiton in Japan, the Nippon Bonsai Taikan-Ten Exhibition is the highest level of bonsai exhibition of Western Japan.

The Nippon Bonsai Taikan-Ten Exhibition is newer than the Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition which will be held the 82th next year. But visitors can enjoy many high quality bonsai exhibits at the exhibition and appreciate the better displays every year by the effort of exhibition organizers for bonsai lovers.

Kiyoshi Hiramatsu, Chief of the bonsai department, said ‘This year, the exhibition hall is brighter and clearer than last year. In addition, the higher partitions help us to appreciate the exhibits. Concerning the shop of the exhibition, they used a tiered shelves and it was easier to find a favorite bonsai. We will bring this way in our fair, the Green Festa Kokubunji bonsai fair.”

The fifth exhibition

Isao Yano, 77 years old, from Onohara in Kanonji city of Kagawa Prefecture, won several prizes in the Green Festa Kokubunji bonsai fair. He also won the award of Nippon Bonsai Association in the past Nippon Bonsai Taikan-Ten Exhibition and this year was his fifth time to show his bonsai at the exhibition. He admired the nationwide level.

“The bonsai trees won the awards are so beautiful and the trucks are bursting in a different way from normal one. Being good bonsai trees, it takes over 100 years. Therefore each tree has attractiveness.”

Popular shops of local bonsai growers

At the selling space, two shops of Takamatsu bonsai growers opened side by side. One bonsai shop was opened by Keiji Kandaka, from Kandaka Shojuen Bonsai Garden in Takamatsu’s Kinashi town, and another was opened by Kuniaki and Koji Hiramatsu, from Hiramatsu Shunshoen Bonsai Garden in Takamatsu’s Kokubunji town.

Kuniaki Hiramatsu has started to open a store at the exhibition since the 1st exhibition held 27 years ago, and Keiji Kandaka has started the store since the second exhibition held 26 years ago. Now there are many fans of them in Japan and the fans came to this exhibition to meet them again.

Hiramatsu said, “These days many people have bought shohin bonsai and some fans here come to our bonsai garden in Kokubunji.” Kandaka said, “I was surprised at the quality of selling trees when I had opened my shop here for the first time. Every time I come here, I learn a lot from others.”

(By Shigeo Hano)