Since Yamadori (collections from mountains) and Shimagi (collections from islands) decreased sharply, some trees have been grown by artificial ways such as Misho (trees grown from seed), Tsugiki (trees grown by grafting) and Sashiki (trees grown by cuttings). Compared with Yamadori (collections from mountains) which has natural shape, Misho (trees grown from seed) and Tsugiki (trees grown by grafting) is made its shape by growers. So the ways have the advantage that people can grow many pine trees having same quality.

Grow many good materials

Mashima Takeru, 59 years old, owner of Mashimaen Bonsai Garden in Kokubunji town, is known as an expert at growing Kuromatsu (Japanese black pine) by Misho (trees grown from seed). 80 percents of trees on the shelves in his garden are grown by Misho (trees grown from seed) and there are many pine trees over 40 years old.

The artificial ways such as Misho (trees grown from seed) and Sashiki (trees grown by cuttings) take a long time to form good shape and grow good trees decreased in nature. In spite of this, trees over 30 or 40 years old get magnificent appearance as Yamadori (collections from mountains).

Misho (trees grown from seed) have started to grow good trees by planting seedlings in the field when Yamadori (collections from mountains) decreased. The policy of reduction of rice acreage in the 40th year of the Showa era helped to accelerate this trend. In those days, main tree grown in Kokubunji was Nishikimatu (cork bark Japanese black pine) and there were pine fields everywhere in the north part of it.

Growing by Misho (trees grown from seed) has advantage that growers can get many good materials for bonsai because they can nurse the young trees. And they can coordinate the tree form.

Cloned seedling

Sashiki (trees grown by cuttings) is a relatively easy way to get trees having good Nebari (a condition of roots of a tree visible out of the surface of dirt). If people do Sashiki (trees grown by cuttings) with graft having better features of trunk surface and needles, they can get trees having same features with mother tree. It is called cloned seedling.

Since growers coordinate every young tree, they can expect the grown shape including Mikimoyo (trunk patterns) and Edakubari (Position of each needle). They usually wire two-year-old trees and start to make pattern.

It takes a long time to grow pine trees by Misho (trees grown from seed) and Sashiki (trees grown by cuttings). It is necessary to take great care every day and spend much time for getting dignity.

“There is no meaning to work hard sometimes. It’s important to keep working for it every day. From the past, it is said that making good thing needs three generations,” Mashima said and laughed. As he said, the great bonsai he took over from the former owner is getting better in his garden.

(By Shigeo Hano)