Page 50 - Tạp chí bonsai cây cảnh BCI 2014Q1

Photo, Owen Reich
uniformity throughout the show. This lack of strin-
gency also means there are many more species repre-
sented at the Taikan-ten. An elegant oak will be set up
next to a suiseki display followed by formal upright
white pine. This sounds eclectic, but fits together well
Photo, Mark Cooper with the more laid-back Kyoto atmosphere. Many of
my personal favorites this year were taller bunjin or
slant style pines. Displays to suit all tastes are present
along with the award winners from the Kokufu-ten.
Special exhibits are put together annually focusing on
themes such as “The Four Kingdoms,” in 2012, and
the late Daizo Iwasaki’s Collection, in 2011.
The Taikan-ten was started 35 years ago to increase
the popularity and prominence of bonsai in the Kan-
sai (sai means west) area. The Kokufu-ten is consid-
ered a Kanto (to means West) Regional event. The
Grandview Exhibition has been a major success. It
promotes local businesses and brings in a great num-
ber of visitors to experience the exhibition and poten-
tially acquire bonsai related goods as well. Not every
major collection owner comes to the Kokufu-ten ev-
Photo, Tom Elias ery year, so this gives vendors a chance to appeal to
Top left; A part of the extensive Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, this event al- the western Japanese market.
vendor sales area that is lows avant-garde displays with Shinto and Buddhist The vendor area at the Taikan-ten is almost worth
directly adjacent to the indoor references and a much greater quantity of suiseki
exhibit of trees and stones. as well. Suiseki can be presented as the main dis- the trip to Japan alone. Anything you may want is
Top right; The second round of play element and this is just now catching on with available and this year, foreigners made up a major
the judging process. . percentage of the customer base. My Spanish, Japa-
Middle; Five trees with three a concurrent event at the Kokufu-ten in 2014. An- nese, and English language abilities sometimes all
point displays utilizing scrolls other major difference is that not every bonsai ex- at once are often put to use helping customers ask
on display prior to opening to hibited has to have a great feeling of power, regard- questions and make purchases. This year, many of
the public. less of the style, in order to create a greater feeling of
Bottom; Waves of patrons ex-
periencing the exhibition. The
Taikan-ten is a popular exhibit
in Kyoto with approximately
eight thousand people at-
tending annually. This exhibit
coincides with the peak of the
autumn foliage displays in this
ancient city.

Photo, Tom Elias
48 | BCI | January/February/March 2014