back from japan #4

omiya is arguably the planet's best known "bonsai village". the city's fathers are solidly behind this concept, including placing ample, easy to read signage at many locations pointing the way to the town's nurseries. most recently omiya constructed and opened the omiya bonsai art museum which includes interpretive displays, stones, antique pots, wood block prints and masterpiece quality bonsai, including trees from the famous takagi bonsai collection. we spent the largest chunk of time at mansei-en - saburo kato's nursery, because of the deep ties kato sensei had with the hawaii bonsai community. we were greeted like family, attended a luncheon arranged by masao kato and were given the run of the property, including approval to take as many pictures as we wanted - a privilege normally not granted to visitors. best of all, mrs. kato, a spry woman in her late 80's spent most of the afternoon with us chatting and inquiring about friends in hawaii. besides mansei-en and the museum, we took in two other nurseries, toju-en and fuyo-en, plus the house of four seasons. we boarded the train for tokyo late in the afternoon, tired but happy. sharing the last installment of pictures. great signage everywhere. the nurseries are close to one another and are easy to find. these signs are spotted on nearly every corner. all you gotta do is follow the arrows. maybe the city could be a little more choosey about some of the characters who lean on their signs. [url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? sheila outside the gate. mansei-en i=205&u=15061647][/url] some of mansei-en' finest trees are displayed indoors - rotating on a daily basis. goyomatsu-white pine i=252&u=15061647][/url]l=https://servimg.com/view/15061647/251][/url] elm.[url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? shimpaku. i=253&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? tosho needle juniper. i=254&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? tsubaki. camelia. i=255&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? another delicate beauty. i=256&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? a tiny pocket garden hidden in the back. i=257&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? inside looking out. i=258&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? some of kato's famous ezomatsu plantings. i=259&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? garden overviews. i=264&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? hokkaido pine said to be 800 yrs old. i=269&u=15061647][/url] tosho.[url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? shimpaku. 2000 yrs.old. i=271&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? wow !. i=272&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? nishiki kuro matsu. i=274&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? with mrs.kato-center/front and hatsuji rear/center. i=275&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? saying farewell. i=276&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? brand new omiya bonsai museum. i=277&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? carved pedestal. i=279&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? inside. i=280&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? in the courtyard. i=281&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? i=282&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? the house of 4 seasons. i=283&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? at the hamano nursery toju-en. kimura and shinji suzuki apprenticed here. inside. i=285&u=15061647][/url] i=284&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? stewartia. i=286&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? nice. i=287&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? entering hiroshi takeyama's fuyo-en nursery. i=292&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? indoor display. i=293&u=15061647][/url][img]http://i66.servimg[url=https://servimg.com/view/15061647/299].com/u/f66/15/06/16/47/dsc06144.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? famous shimpaku. i=304&u=15061647][/url][url=https://servimg.com/image_preview.php? THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE. i=309&u=15061647][/url]

Hi Sam and Sheilla,

Good to see you happy in this trip. Omiya is always wonderful. Will you go to ASPAC next yera in Takamatsu, Japan?
Thanks for sharing.

Your friend,
Budi

I was in Omiya a month ago, memories are flooding back! And I would love to get back to Takamatsu next year! Should be amazing, I think Kimura is headlining yes?

Thank you very much for sharing your trip. If I get time I will some of my pics to the mix!

Hi,

thank you so much for sharing these pictures, these bonsai is just amazing. Seeing them live must be an overwhelming experience.

hi budi: nice to see your post. yes, we are seriously planning for takamatsu after missing taiwan last year. see you and threes there I hope.

hi jarrod, yes please add your pictures, I actually took more than 700 in different places, so the ones I posted are just a few. yes aspac will be in takamatsu and kimura is the headliner. the lineup of demonstrators will be mind boggling. mnaybe we'll meet there.


hi sulrich: I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures. you're right. the pictures do not do the trees justice.

It is easier for me to just post a link to my photobucket album, some of the photos at the start are from Kinashi. But most are from Omiya.

I really want to get back there soon. But we will see how that pans out!

http://alturl.com/bdx2

thanks

Have you seen this already?

http://bonsai.shikoku-np.co.jp/en/aspac/2010/05/the-menber-of-rainbow-bonsai-club-from-hawai-visited-kinasi-town.html

thanks for the heads up. yoichi nakanishi (nakanishi-chinshou-en nursery -where the photos were taken) is the chairman for the planning/events committee for the next ASPAC. The nakanishi's posted pictures of our visit to their nursery website several weeks ago, however, I was unaware of this ASPAC advertisement.

look foward to seeing more pictures of your visit