Japan 2011 - Shohin Junipers and then some

Another place visited in Angyo, was a Juniper specialist. I have newer seen that many high quality shohin Junipers at the same spot. All with twisted trunks and many with amazing deadwood. Some of these are handed over to other top nurseries to be further developed and trained for exhibitions. Some customers may have four or five of the same type and style of tree. This is because when a tree is awarded at the big shohin exhibition Gafu-ten it is not allowed to take part the following three years. Therefore the customer have to have another tree of the same kind to replace it with in the display, if he wants to take part next year too. Ambitious collectors who wants to take part every year needs replacement trees to take over if they get a prize at the show, in order to exhibit the following year too.

Why not just select another specimen instead? Because the trend in shohin displays of high quality is to use these twisted junipers, like the use of the Black pine nearly always placed as top/main tree at the racks. You could use anything else, but trends and fashion in the Japanese shohin world make people choose these at this time.

Also some very good trident Maples was here i.e.

Regards
Morten

WOW!

thanks for showing morten. brings back wonderful memories of our own trip. BTW, where is angyo ?

best wishes, sam

STUNNING!!! you are spoiling us Morten
Bob

Thanks. Glad you enjoy.

Angyo city is between Omiya and Tokyo, in the Kawaguchi area. If you go there, take the train from Tokyo at the Tohoku Line to Óji station, Change to the local train subway, the Nanboku Line, and get of at Tozuko-Angyo. The area, which is large has around 19 nurseries at very different levels.

Regards
Morten

now they are fantastic pieces of material -

i like the idea of not re-showing winning trees for a few years - it gives the public new trees to see and saves the familiarity of seeing the same trees again and again. This would benefit the health of the trees too, in the west I think some trees are kept in show condition for too long and not allowed a few years to freely grow and regain strength.

I agree with you Marcus.
What was the average costs of the junipers?

Thanks for sharing.
Cosmos