Dec 1, 2016

Closed days of the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in December 2016

December 2016, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is closed on:

1(Thu),
8(Thu),
15(Thu),
22(Thu),
29(Thu), 30(Fri), 31(Sat).

From November - February,
the museum is open until 16:00 (entrance before 15:30).

On Thursdays, gardens in the Omiya Bonsai Village are closed, too.

Nov 1, 2016

Closed days of the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in November 2016

November 2016, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is closed on:

10(Thu),
17(Thu),
24(Thu).

From November - February,
the museum is open until 16:00 (entrance before 15:30).

On Thursdays, gardens in the Omiya Bonsai Village are closed, too.

Oct 1, 2016

Closed days of the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in October 2016

October 2016, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is closed on:

6(Thu),
13(Thu),
20(Thu),
27(Thu).

From March - October,
the museum is open until 16:30 (entrance before 16:00).

On Thursdays, gardens in the Omiya Bonsai Village are closed, too.

Sep 4, 2016

rough horsetail at the Omiya Bonsa Art Museum





I repotted it this spring.

Though I was not asked, I did it on my own judgement
because the stems stood up everywhere in the pot
and looked too dense.

The center part had grown up like a mountain
and if I had followed an ordinary procedure of replanting
by cutting the roots from side,
the cut would have been revealed like a cliff in brown color.



My fingers are not only green but ingenious
and I cut the whole part into three then removed the center one.

Next I put together the rest two to make use of
the natural slope covered with moss
while reducing the volume.



My artistry lies in making perfection
where nobody pays either attention or money.

I am destined to live a different life from
that of a so-called bonsai master.

Sep 2, 2016

Closed days of the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in September 2016

September 2016, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is closed on:

1(Thu),
8(Thu),
15(Thu),
29(Thu).

This year Autumnal Equinox Day falls on September 22(Thu),
so it will be open on that day.

From March - October,
the museum is open until 16:30 (entrance before 16:00).

On Thursdays, gardens in the Omiya Bonsai Village are closed, too.

Aug 1, 2016

Closed days of the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in August 2016

August 2016, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is closed on:

4(Thu),
18(Thu),
25(Thu).

From March - October,
the museum is open until 16:30 (entrance before 16:00).

On Thursdays, nurseries in the Omiya Bonsai Village are closed, too.

Jul 3, 2016

Closed days of the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in July 2016

July 2016, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is closed on:

7(Thu),
14(Thu),
21(Thu),
28(Thu).

From March - October,
the museum is open until 16:30 (entrance before 16:00).

On Thursdays, nurseries in the Omiya Bonsai Village are closed, too.

Jun 6, 2016

Closed days of the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in June 2016


June 2016, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is closed on:

2(Thu),
9(Thu),
13(Mon),
14(Tue),
15(Wed),
16(Thu),
23(Thu),
30(Thu).

From March - October,
the museum is open until 16:30 (entrance before 16:00).

On Thursdays, nurseries in the Omiya Bonsai Village are closed, too.

May 23, 2016

Kyuka-en x Riso kiln(Arita ware) "Ohako(specialty Kabuki repertoire)"


Niwa-fuji(庭藤, literally garden wisteria, Indigofera decora) x Koraiya-gōshi(高麗屋格子, Kōraiya-check pattern) design round pot.

Kōshirō(幸四郎) vs Tōjūrō(藤十郎).


Both Kōshirō and Tōjūrō are stage names of Kabuki actors.

Kōraiya is a name of a guild which the family of Kōshirō belongs to.
This check pattern was named Koraiya-gōshi because Kōshirō IV
played Banzuiin Chōbei(幡随院長兵衛) wearing a cape with this design
to receive a favorable reputation.
Thus this check patter was named Koraiya-gōshi and became very popular.

A wisteria patter is a part of family emblem of Tōjūrō.

Fuji(藤, wisteria) is too large for this pot and I adopted
Niwa-fuji(庭藤, literally garden wisteria).

Everything happens in my palm.

May 2, 2016

Grand Bonsai Festival 2016 coming soon

Every year on May 3, 4 and 5,
Dai Bonsai Matsuri (大盆栽まつり, literally Grand Bonsai Festival) is
held in the Omiya Bonsai Village.

It is one of Japanese largest outdoor market of bonsai,
plants, pots and related materials.

It began to commemorate
the 60th anniversary of the Omiya Bonsai Village and
now it is recognized as a seasonal event.

Grand Bonsai Festival 2015 video:

Closed days of the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in May 2016

May 2016, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is closed on:

12(Thu),
19(Thu),
26(Thu).

From March - October,
the museum is open until 16:30 (entrance before 16:00).

On Thursdays, gardens in the Omiya Bonsai Village are closed, too.

This year Children's Day falls on Thursday and the
museum is open on May 5.

Gardens of the Omiya Bonsai Village will be open on May 5, too,
because it is during the Grand Bonsai Festival period.

Apr 3, 2016

Closed days of the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in April 2016

April 2016, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is closed on:

7(Thu),
14(Thu),
21(Thu),
28(Thu).

From March - October,
the museum is open until 16:30 (entrance before 16:00).

On Thursdays, gardens in the Omiya Bonsai Village are closed, too.

Mar 29, 2016

Mar 12, 2016

Kyuka-en x Riso kiln(Arita ware) "allusion of Sho-chiku-bai"


Sho-chiku-bai(pine, bamboo and apricot) is
a Japanese symbol of auspiciousness and
I adopted variegated bamboo grass last year.

But I think it dull to swich bamboo to bamboo grass and
I try implying bamboo by dwarf rough horsetail
with bamboo-node-like sections,
in seeking for Japanese sophistication to avoid direct expression.

By the way, looking at the last year's photo,
I wonder why I put them like that.
The pine and the apricot face the opposite direction...

http://risogama.exblog.jp/21038095/

Mar 6, 2016

MASAKUNI on the web

MASAKUNI is a bonsai tool originator
and is the only one full-scale maker in Japan.

MASAKUNI 1st and MURATA Kyuzo,
the 1st generation of Kyuka-en
developed a number of epoch-making bonsai tools
in the co-operative research.

An international program, "great gear" of NHK World
featuring MASAKUNI tools is now available from the link below.

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/vod/greatgear/20160225.html

This program is available until March 10, 2016.

Closed days of the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in March 2016

March 2016, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is closed on:

3(Thu),
10(Thu),
17(Thu),
24(Thu),
31(Thu).

From March - October,
the museum is open until 16:30 (entrance before 16:00).

On Thursdays, gardens in the Omiya Bonsai Village are closed, too.

Feb 9, 2016

irregular opening of the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum

The Omiya Bonsai Museum is closed on Thursdays,
but this year National Foundation Day of Japan falls on
Thursday, February 11 and the museum is open on that day.

Some gardens of the Omiya Bonsai Village will be open, too,
because it is during the Kokufu-ten period.

Feb 4, 2016

Sales area of Kokufu Ten 2016

From February 5 - 13, Risshun Bonsai Oichi
(立春盆栽大市, literally Lichun Bonsai Grand Market)
is held at the Ueno Green Club.

It is one of Japanese largest markets of bonsai, pots, tools,
suiseki (viewing stone) and related materials.

It is far more interesting and exciting than Kokufu-ten itself
because everything is offered with price tag.
Actually some trees go back and forth
between Ueno Green Club and Kokufu-ten.

cf.
http://japan-bonsai.blogspot.jp/2013/02/sales-area-of-kokufu-bonsai-ten.html

The hours for this event is from 9:00 - 17:00 (16:00, last day).

Kyuka-en is going to sell Masakuni tools and Biogold fertilizer
on the 2nd floor of the Ueno Green Club.





Risshun Bonsai Oichi 2015 movie:



For the convenience of the visitors,
every year during the Kokufu Ten period,
a connecting limo (or minibus) runs between
the museum and the Ueno Green Club.


Usually, the bus departs from here on the museum side.

View Larger Map

I hope you visit the Ueno Green Club with a fat wallet,
and leave with a thin wallet and satisfaction.

Ueno Green Club map:

View Larger Map

Feb 1, 2016

Closed days of the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in February 2016

February 2016, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is closed on:

4(Thu),
18(Thu),
25(Thu).

From November - February,
the museum is open until 16:00 (entrance before 15:30).

On Thursdays, gardens in the Omiya Bonsai Village are closed, too.

Jan 1, 2016

Closed days of the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in January 2016

January 2016, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is closed on:

1(Fri) - 3(Sun),
7(Thu),
14(Thu),
21(Thu),
28(Thu).

From November - February,
the museum is open until 16:00 (entrance before 15:30).

On Thursdays, nurseries in the Omiya Bonsai Village are closed, too.