Japan and bonsai school

I have just arrived in Tokyo, with the intention to go to school for bonsai, with one of the best Japanese masters at Taisho en, and buy some bonsai.
I have tried hard to learn what I could on my own, but I need to see something's in order to understand them.
I don't know how much time I shall have to post....but at list I shall try to update my new blog on daily bases. As soon as I start posting I shall put the link here. Meanwhile please let me know if there is anything you would like me to ask or find out on your behalf.
All the best and wish me luck.

Have fun.

Moved to lounge.

Wow good for you. Do you have a link to your blog?

Hi Neli,

Have a great time be it 6 weeks or 5 years  . I own a couple of trees from this nursery and would love to know any hints for making pyracantha flower strongly - how do they prune and when?

good luck with importing some lovely bonsai to south africa ready for your return

cheers Marcus

Hey Neli,
Jumping in the deep end eh! Way to go......I'm very envious indeed.
Looking forward to following your progress once you have your blog up and running.
Cheers Graham

Wishing for you a wonderful experience!

Neli,

very happy for you.
Khaimraj

The blog by neli is here, by the way: http://nelibonsai.wordpress.com/

Thanks every one. It has been so hectic. I got an iPad with me and I am having problems posting pictures....I am going to try and do it when I come back...I am learning so much.
Ojakata is very impressed with my theoretical knowledge and cancelled my sweeping duty...he he he! I style roughly 5-6 trees every day plus learn many techniques.
I am mostly learning junipers and pines. I have been given already two very expensive yamadori to style....and that is a big honor to me. It is a big trust.
I am learning so much...you can not imagine. Taisho en is one of the top nurseries in Japan and is very expensive. Tiger ...oji katas son studied 6 years with kimurs....he is one of a kind.
He also does demonstrations at bonsai shows around the world....I can tell you very few people can compare to him...true master.
I shall try to look for this forum on tapatalk so I can post some pictures for you.
But I get so tired....and this I pad is not the right thing to use...any advise on using it will be appreciated.

marcus watts wrote:Hi Neli,

Have a great time be it 6 weeks or 5 years  . I own a couple of trees from this nursery and would love to know any hints for making pyracantha flower strongly - how do they prune and when?

good luck with importing some lovely bonsai to south africa ready for your return

cheers Marcus

It was half an hour questionIng about the pyracantha....he says they prune it like any other tree in march April...and he said different areas is different...and different years is different. So I put the question in a different way...how long before or after flowering should he prune it for his tree to flower well.
He said he will check and let me know.
Fertilizing he said...they only use fertilizer cake for all trees. The composition inside is mainly rape seed and bone meal...plus some other additives.
He said he would never cut pyracantha in winter, since it does not Calus or Calus slow. He would cut in Japan end of February or march.
If the tree is finished it will not have many shoots. It will just have few shoots to trim....he said when they prepare trees for kokufu it is always different....like this year it is very hot...so he said rhey will have to think how to change the conditions....sun...watering...trimming...to make the tree flower at the right time . He studied with Kimura for 6 years...he said Kimura does not have anything else than conifers...he said wait for big sansai to come back tomorrow, and we ask again. He just brought a pyracantha and I took a picture of him with it explaining...
He said  ....I forgot what I wanted to write...he just came back and is asking Manuel....he is bothered that maybe he did not answer me well. I shall let you know latter better.
Latest answer is...they took me outside to show me the pyracantha outside....they are covered with fruits...they said we dont pay special attention to when to trim....we trim when it is needed to shape the tree. If shoots are strong and long we trim. Pyracantha is a strong tree and has no problem flowering. We don't even use special or extra fertilizer forit...like adding potassium for some other trees.. I shall let you know more when my sansai comes. But they say they don't pay attention when to prune....don't have special time...it is done as needed.

I typed everything and it disappeared....
He came back after half an hour with drawings...maybe he went to check somewhere .
I don't think he was going to sleep if he did not answer me...
This is what he says....
P. forms flower buds in October.
If you cut around October....you are cutting the flower buds off.
Remove strong shoots between July and September. They take power from the small shoots.
In February end or march....cut only large strong out of shape shoots. Cut few smaller shoots, and only if out of shape.
Here P. flowers may to June.
P. he said is a strong tree. Make sure your tree is not pot bound, and has good root system.
Fertilize well.
He added for reference that une midoki is a weak tree. False plum??? Allow it to have fruit only if the tree is strong, and not every year, and he added remove most flower buds on satzuki azalea, leave only 30% of the flowers...
If you cut P after oct, all buds will be leaf buds.

Oh, Neli I feel so happy for you!
I wish you best of luck with your training and successful purchases -I feel envy for the last-  

I'd also like to thank you for your time to post everything said by your instructor about pyracantha. This is very kind of you, indeed!

Welcome....glad to be of help.
I am so tired....finished in the morning my itoigawa yamadori and Tosho shohin.
Afternoon did one tree only. A Scottish juniper...don't know where they got it from....and had just tiny little tiffs of foliage, but it was a yamadori.
I thought I did pretty well....till he came and started correcting me after one hour lecture on wiring...branch placement proportions....
If you just look at it briefly....you might not see much difference....but if you know bonsai....you will see huge difference...he is a master....true master.
I shall try to post pictures somehow.

You can easily post pics on the forum. www.bonsainut.com from your iPad if your eager to get some pics out there.

Wow, seems like just yesterday you made your first post here, now you're in Japan studying. Very exciting!

Thanks for sharing what you're learning. One thought, rather than trying to post different things on different forums, maybe you should start your own blog and let people come to you. Might be easier in the long run. Blogs are easy to use, though I've never tried to upload photos from an iphone.

Great idea!!!

Thank you Coh. I have a blog. Link is here, above.
I shall try again today to post....the truth is by the time I come home I am finished. So tired....here you need to run...when doing things....and they tell you that you are too slow.
0730 I arrive at the nursery....have to sweep all the path....before 08, then I start styling. Oyakata is so nice...he makes me coffee, and brings it to me...he is the sweetest man. Then we chat, I ask....or he watches me and comes to correct me and explain.
I came home today early...I was just too tired...he brought me home with his Benz...I managed to do my new assignment for today a bit....just clean the pads and prepare for styling and wiring....I shall do it tomorrow.
I love very minute of it, but the 40 degree or over plus the humidity, is just killing me.
I have never seen heat like this in Africa.

Jkd, I shall try to post on the blog at liest a bit today.

Thanks, I had missed the link to the blog earlier in the thread!

This iPad is misbehaving...I can not post pictures the correct size. Last night I managed 3 pictures to correct the whole night and I gave up. I could not correct spelling mistakes, the cursor goes several lines above instead of where it is wanted and WP keeps crushing....got tired and just stopped. I have so many nice stories....yesterday they came here from the bonsai MAGASINE, to shoot a progression done by my master....it was very nice and the whole day...lots of techniques, and I am on the pictures too assisting the master ( holding the pot he he he) but i will have to post it later ones I go home to my dear lap top.

Neli,
Thank you so much for posting and good luck with your apprenticeship. I am working with some old collected Pyracanthas and you have helped me a great deal! I have work to do this month before its too late for the flower buds  

Today was the hottest day ever. I run away in the afternoon. I ate a very big lunch and just could not move my lazy bum to school.Today I finished my literati white pine and..........would you believe that????? If you by any chance you won't believe what I am about to tell you....We had a student yesterday...Japanese student, that has been coming here to learn many times...he was given a juniper to wire and style....it was a total disaster...he remained after I left at the nursery so I don't know what happened.Today oyakata brought me his tree and said....remove all wires and correct this tree....I said is he not coming to finish it? Oyakata angrily said he is not coming here again.I think he was chased away....so guys to reach a stage to correct Japanese students mistakes....in a week I think for me is a good achievement.I shall finish it tomorrow.My literati is looking Devine...and I got a picture today with my oyakata with his finger up, meaning that my tree is very nice...I shall try and post on FB now...and get the link here...But seriously speaking my juniper I styled yesterday is very good. I am so proud of it.

Here are some pictures on my time line of some trees I did.
https://www.facebook.com/neli.stoyanova.180/media_set?set=a.1497833977852.2062600.1594227676&type=1

I managed one more post on my blog.
http://nelibonsai.wordpress.com/2013/08/24/bonsai-school-24-aug/

Hi Neli

You do a great thing by studying bonsai in Japan and writing here what you learn!
I appreciate it!

Taner

Thank you darling. I am having problems posting from the iPad now, I am keeping a diary and I will post everything when I reach home.