Only five days left before I go to Japan again. Looking forward to revisit some places, and see lots of new things. Some articles for Bonsai Focus are planned, as well as some video shooting too. Plenty of pictures will be on the camera when I go home, shared with you here and at the main website (www.shohin-europe.com).

It is always a pleasure to see bonsai as it should be, and no were else so far, I have experienced the aesthetic and quality like in Japan. That is my inspiration for my work, and I hope to improve bit by bit. Having too little time for bonsai the last three years I hope to better able to care and work with my trees as i have since this spring. it is scaring evident when I have not been able to us the time needed to work and care for my trees for that period due to moving two times i.e.

Below a relaxed picture from the last trip…

I guess these pictures (facebook picture album) and the video from the exhibition is from Italian Aurelio De Capitani personal collection? No matter what, these are some of the first really beautiful high quality shohin I have seen from Italy. Clearly great material imported from Japan, most of them in the classical style with quality pots provided. Very well set up in all displays, adding great inspiration to all of us.

Due to copyrights I will not copy paste pictures here, but let you go to the album via the above link. Here is the video of the exhibition shared by Aurelio on Youtube.

Me and Tomohiro in my garden.

Spending 5 days with Japanese Shohin bonsai expert Tomohiro Masumi did make a difference to me. Tomohiro was invited to the Danish Bonsai Society 30th anniversary exhibition as workshop leader and making lectures.

I had the opportunity to have some long and joyful talks about shohin-bonsai, and got a lot of new things to absorb.  Movement was maybe one of the most important issues to learn. We may have a tendency to make too straight upward trees lacking movement and tension. Because many of our landscape trees looks like that. And because we maybe do not develop our basic material like the Japanese do. We have to prepare it better and to look for more dramatic and interesting curves when searching for material useful for shohin-bonsai.  I have I now know

The climatic differences also is an issue I think. In Japan the summers are warmer, the seasons longer, humidity much higher, than here. This gives the opportunity of stronger growth, and here we will wait more seasons to develop the same volume in a tree. The advantage to my side, is that the tree will not overgrow the pot as easily as in Japan. Something has to be good living a little colder in shorter warm seasons.

Tomohiro also noticed the pots here often have thicker clay walls than the thinner Japanese pots. this could be an issue in a hot climate, where the thicker pot will be less able to cool the roots than thinner pots. But in the northern hemisphere this may not be an issue I believe. But a point to observe though.

Full of inspiration that I still have to consume, I happily look forward to the rest of the growing season. Already carrying a few tasks out recommended by Tomohiro Masumi. Thanks for the input.