87th Kokufu Bonsai Ten

The 87th Kokufu Bonsai Ten 
(国風盆栽展, literally National Style Bonsai Exhibition),
the Salon of bonsai, will be held from February 5 to 12, 2013.

This time, an English information site was made
for the convenience of the visitors from the world.

The 87th Kokufu Bonsai Ten information site:
http://www.bonsai-jp.com/kokufu.html

I hope this site is helpful to you.

Two directions of shohin bonsai

The 38th Gafu-ten (雅風展, literally Style of Grace Exhibition), 

one of Japanese most prestigious exhibitions of 

shohin bonsai (basically tree height less than 20cm) was held in Kyoto 

From January 10 to 13, 2013.

In Tokyo, the 42nd Zenkoku Shohin Bonsai Meihin-ten

(全国小品盆栽名品展, National Exhibition of Fine Pieces of Shohin Bonsai),

was held from January 11 to 13, 2013.

As the number tells you, Zenkoku Shohin Bonsai Meihin-ten 

has a longer history than Gafu-ten.

While there are many awards in Gafu-ten, 

Zenkoku Shohin Bonsai Meihin-ten gives no award to bonsai.

Because NAKAMURA Zeko 

(actor, famous shohin bonsai enthusiast and bonsai potter) 

who was one of the founders of the management body of 

Zenkoku Shohin Bonsai Meihin-ten thought that 

bonsai should be open to everybody and 

there shouldn't be judgement on superiority or inferiority 

in a hobby.

The management body of Gafu-ten is 

"All Japan Shohin Bonsai Association" 

(ZenNihon Shohin Bonsai Kyokai, 全日本小品盆栽協会).
http://shohin-bonsai.or.jp/

And the management body of
Zenkoku Shohin Bonsai Meihin-ten is
"Japan Shohin Bonsai Association"
(Nihon Shohin Bonsai Kyokai, 日本小品盆栽協会).
http://shohinbonsai.boy.jp/

Their names are really confusing.

But all you have to do is not to learn their names by heart,
but to have an eye for the difference in their styles and tastes.

Displays at the 38th Gafu-ten:  

http://ameblo.jp/minibonsai-asobi/entry-11449000206.html

http://ameblo.jp/sanyama/entry-11446205029.html

http://ameblo.jp/sanyama/entry-11447584612.html

http://ameblo.jp/sanyama/entry-11448259607.html
http://ameblo.jp/sanyama/entry-11449148382.html
http://ameblo.jp/sanyama/entry-11449758819.html

Awarded bonsai at the 38th Gafu-ten:
http://shohin-bonsai.or.jp/blog/information_11/gafu_38.html

Displays at the 42nd Zenkoku Shohin Bonsai Meihin-ten:
http://ameblo.jp/bonsaihajime/entry-11447029935.html
http://ameblo.jp/bonsaihajime/entry-11449260752.html
http://ameblo.jp/bonsaihajime/entry-11449714004.html
http://ameblo.jp/bonsaihajime/entry-11450955884.html
http://ameblo.jp/honobonobon/entry-11447875503.html
http://ameblo.jp/honobonobon/entry-11448369069.html
http://ameblo.jp/kaientaisyo/entry-11442768953.html
http://hanasakato.exblog.jp/17141895/
http://bonsai-mansion.hatenablog.com/entry/meihinten42

NAKAMURA Zeko (right in the picture) and

MURATA Kyuzo, my grandfather (left in the picture).

usual colors

usual colors is a Japanese short film 

about love of a small family 

described through one pot of bonsai.

All the location shooting for this movie was done in Saitama city.

It will be on at the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in February 2013.

Date: February 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 2013

Timetable: 13:00 - (13:30), 14:00 - (14:30), 15:00 - (15:30)

Running time: 20 min

Language: Japanese

Place: Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, lecture room (on the 2nd floor)

Seating capacity: about 60

Admission: free for the movie (300 yen- for the museum)

Ticket: order tickets are distributed from 9:00 each day 

Its creators want to be invited to film festivals outside Japan.

So, it may be on abroad on your invitation...

usual colors - Official Trailer:

usual colors official web site:
http://www.chokumo.com/usualcolors/

OMIYA BONSAI

OMIYA BONSAI is a premium brand of bonsai
and a name of the promotion activity of Omiya Bonsai Village.

Let's visit OMIYA BONSAI website to find
good value information like chartered bus tour to Omiya Bonsai Village
and click Like Button on OMIYA BONSAI facebook page!

OMIYA BONSAI website:
http://www.omiyabonsai.jp/

OMIYA BONSAI - facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Omiyabonsai

大宮盆栽 - facebook:
https://ja-jp.facebook.com/omiyabonsai.jp

Queen of special fiscal screening committees grows bonsai

Renhō, a Taiwanese Japanese journalist and
a member of the Upper House of the Diet of Japan,
grows bonsai.

She tweeted "Have been blooming plum bonsai.
Little by little in the spring. I work hard today!" (translation by Google Chrome).

Her original tweet is as follows:

盆栽の梅が咲いてきました。少しずつ少しずつ春に。今日も頑張ります！ twitter.com/renho_sha/stat…
— 蓮舫さん (@renho_sha) January 7, 2013

Hermès et bonsai

Hey, Louis Vuitton!

Hey, Gucci!

Hey, BVLGARI!

It's your turn to adopt bonsai in your design!

Les Beaux Jours de Bonsaï -  Hermès

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/kidsdream/he1108343k/

Les Beaux Jours de Bonsaï -  Hermès

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HERMES-Black-Multi-Color-AUTHENTIC-SILK-LES-BEAUX-JOURS-DE-BONSAI-SCARF-35X35-/181045301187?pt=US_Scarves_Wraps&hash=item2a27240fc3

Les Beaux Jours de Bonsaï -  Hermès

http://www.theperfectredbox.com/produit-beaux-jours-des-bonsai-by-catherine-baschet-yellow-exc-2783.html

Les Beaux Jours de Bonsaï -  Hermès

http://piwigo.hermesscarf.com/picture?/4515/category/207-1991

Bolide - Hermès

http://forum.purseblog.com/hermes/please-come-and-see-hermes-in-tokyo-me-230300-7.html

Fine Bonsai: Art & Nature

Dr. Jonathan Singer, who is known also as a
botanical photographic artist,
took pictures of bonsai in Japan and the USA in 2011,
including one ezo matsu spruce of Kyuka-en.

His works were compiled and published as
Fine Bonsai: Art & Nature in 2012.
It is available at Amazon.com.

In a way, this book is his personal anthology and
his criterion to select bonsai is a little different from
those of bonsai exhibitions or awards.
That's why this book is interesting.

DIGITAL DJ Network JAPAN website
introducing Dr. Singer's bonsai pictures:
http://japan.digitaldj-network.com/articles/5733.html

Jonathan Singer Photography:
http://www.jonathan-singer-photography.com/

The picture of ezo matsu of Kyuka-en by Dr. Singer:
http://www.jonathan-singer-photography.com/galleries/bonsai2/content/bonsai2_16374_large.html

Closed days of the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in January 2013

January 2013, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum is closed on:

1(Tue), 2(Wed), 3(Thu)
10(Thu),
17(Thu),
24(Thu),
30(Wed), 31(Thu)

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

Happy New year! (about A Living Work of Art. BONSAI)

This blog is one of the contents of
the Japan National Tourism Organization official site,
A Living Work of Art. BONSAI.

Writing this blog, I hope you take interest in bonsai in Japan 

and visit Japan.

Or at least, I hope you click Like Button on Bonsai.japan facebook page

and follow @bonsai_japan Twitter.