19^th Utsunomiya Satsuki & Flower Fest

67^th Tochigi Prefecture Satsuki Association Exhibition

Well, we had one more unexpected final surprise. We heard about another Satsuki exhibition which was held in Utsunomiya at a “Romantic Village” about half an hour away from our hotel. After asking Mr. Morimae about it he strongly suggested we go as the quality was a bit better than the Satsuki shown at the Kanuma City Kaboku Center Exhibition and Ueno Satsuki Festival. Boy, was he correct! There were no steps and the main exhibition was in an air conditioned greenhouse complex.

Mr. Morimae graciously had one of his staff drive a few of us to the exhibition. It was even over 30 minutes from the FuGa Exhibition. When we left, at closing time in the late afternoon we had a difficult time getting a taxi. So w

e walked a while…

FuGa Bonsai Exhibition

Usually our tours enjoy unexpected surprises. One of the additional unscheduled visits this time was to the FuGa Bonsai Exhibition sponsored by S-Cube, Seiji Morimae’s business. This elegant exhibition of fine quality bonsai was in the Kanuma City Kaboku Center complex, up at the top of a small hill, more stairs, in a specially built exhibition building by the Tochigi Prefecture.

Everything Mr. Morimae does is beautiful and with class, including this bonsai exhibition of his study group and clients. There were five long rows of individual alcove areas with plain backgrounds. Unlike all the other Satsuki exhibitions, most individual displays had hanging scrolls and companion plantings. This was a formal bonsai exhibition, complete with a pleasant mix of classical music, not the Japanese type Americans use in shows.

Mr. Morimae’s entire family and staff were on hand to make visitors feel welcome, guide them around, answer…

43^rd Kanuma Satsuki Festival

The main reason our tour traveled to Japan is to see Satsuki azalea bonsai. The 43^rd Kanuma Satsuki Festival is probably the largest in Japan. It is held on the grounds of the Kanuma City Kaboku Center. The two acre complex includes: a permanent exhibition and sales area over a half acre alone, one and a half acre area auction area, and greenhouses. Additionally the complex has a garden tree sales field of seven acres, additional greenhouses, restaurant and a 66 acre wild bird forest, plus more. This is a truly unique center for Satsuki azalea bonsai production, exhibitions and sales. It’s the finest, largest and most complete garden center I’ve had the pleasure of visiting, I only wish shopping for plants was permitted for foreigners.

The temperature was 93F, which I’ve been told is not normal for this time of…