The 89th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition is being held in two parts this year in order to display more bonsai in an area which is slightly smaller than in previous years. Part 1, February 5-8, 2015 and Part 2, February 10-13 2015.

On February 9th all 181 bonsai displays will be switched in Part 1. Although there are 181 displays, there are perhaps 250 individual bonsai displayed as there are generally six trees in each shohin bonsai display and two or three trees in the medium exhibits. There are only five shohin bonsai exhibits in Part 1. There are six bonsai displayed by foreigners including three Americans. More on those and the shohin bonsai displays later.

Needle juniper, Juniperus rigida

Japanese flowering quince, Chaenomeles speciosa

Japanese five-needle pine, Pinus parviflora

Sinuous style, all root connected

Part 1 of the exhibition is excellent, lots of good trees. Even for me, a bit of…