In spring festival of Kokubunji bonsai center held on April 10 and 11, the class of wiring of Goyomatsu was popular among visitors. The participated fanciers enjoyed learning from the local bonsai artists and changing of young trees by wiring.

Suitable Shape for Tree

The directors are Masaaki Yoshiwara, Toshiyuki Okada, and Hiroyoshi Yamaji in Takamatsu’s Kokubunji town. The students are Ms. Yuko Tsugo and her women group about some dozen people from Marugame city.

First, choose a favorite tree and cut the unnecessary branches. Trees over 10 years old have many unnecessary ones. To students’ surprise, thick ones are cut off.

We asked Okada about the basis of wiring. He answered the arrange of tree’s shape, finding the pair branches and the use of wires effectively, keeping wires from crossing, and choosing the suitable wires for the thickness of branches.

In the case of the young tree which has a soft trunk and the part bent extremely, it is easy to get the wire into branches. Therefore remove the wires early but be careful the shape will return if it is too early.

Free and Reasonable Class

For amateurs like us, it looked enough beautiful young tree. But, an hour later, it was reborn as a great bonsai.

Ms. Tsugo says, “It was the first time for me to make bonsai and the time passed very quickly. The ever-changing techniques such as cutting and pulling were beyond imagination. I was healed by the good atmosphere of the class. It will be my new hobby. I want to participate it in the next year.”
Put it in the sunny and well ventilated place, keep watering, and give the solid fertilizer. Then remove wires after 2 or 3 years, and it will be a rank up Goyomatsu.

Many classes are held in the bonsai events. The charge is about 2000yen including a tree and a pot like this time. Participants can talk with artists freely and learn the basic techniques.

(By Shigeo Hano)