“Kanju” is a tree which has only a trunk and branches, and fall all leaves in winter. It has own unique attraction in this season like Nebari, color of trunk surface, angle of thin branches. We interviewed Kiyoshi Hiramatsu, Seijuen bonsai garden in Takamatsu’s Kokubunji Town, about the best point of Kanju.

Beauty Seen

Most beautiful point of bonsai are patterns and colorful flowers and fruits. But Kanju in winter has other type of beauty.

The best point of Kanju is that anything cannot hide. Not only trunk surface, but also all thin branches can be seen. So it gives evidence of the artist’s care.

Hiramatsu says, “I can imagine the harsh nature by Kanju. Sometimes it is in a snow scene or strong wind. A few fanciers buy it because it is easy to imagine the needles and flowers. In addition, the trunk pattern and small scratches can be seen. It helps to choose a good tree.”

Yamamomiji and Kaede

There are beautiful Kanju trees like Yamamomiji (mountain maple), Kaede (maple), Keyaki (Japanese zelkova), Himeshara (tall stewartia), and Iwashide (carpinus turczaninovii). He showed us his Yamamomiji and Kaede.

The hight of Yamamomiji is 50 centimerters. The 10 trees planted as a group plant combined together. Hiramatsu got it at about 10 years old and has taken care for over 10 years. He says, “Enjoying the beauty of Kanju in Febuary, I look forward to seeing the red buds in spring, the tender green in the beginning of summer, and the red and yellow leaves in autumn this year.”

This Moyogi of Kaede is 15 centimeters in hight. It is arranged to Shohin by Toriki (process of developing roots by trimming bark off a trunk). The tree is small but it has dignified trunk pattern and good Nebari. He says, “It is over 20 years old. With cares of small branches and thickness getting in times, the trunk surface will turn ocher and the peeled bark will create the ancient atmosphere.”

(By Shigeo Hano)