Called ikadabuki (raft style), it refers to the means of setting up bonsai. It also is one of the shapes of a tree. It is also called ”ikada tsukuri” or making an ikada raft. It is a kind of a multi-trunk tree with a branch sticking out of a trunk fallen down sideways and becoming a trunk. It was named ikadabuki because its shape is similar to a raft. Often seen in the mountains, the appearance of branches emerging from a trunk toppled by snowstorm and growing to stand up as several trunks was adopted as a form of bonsai. It is older than ”netsuranari,” another shape akin to raftstyle. Goyomatsu (Japanese white pine) accounts for most of ikadabuki bonsai. It is attractive because it demonstrates strong natural vitality. It has its weaknesses such as its steps tend to become monotonous and its difficulty in displaying changes in depth. In order to overcome the shortcomings it would be good to tear down and use trees having trunk patterns or two-trunk or three-trunk trees.

translated by Kyodo News