Page 49 - Tạp chí bonsai cây cảnh BCI 2014Q3

improve their now growing bonsai collection. They Left column, top to bottom;
resolved that if they could afford it, they would visit Urushibata san at Taisho-en.
Japan at least once a year. Each year the planning be- Takashi Iura at his nursery
comes more and more involved, and now has to in- Syojyu-en.
clude Suiseki as well as Bonsai, Japanese Gardens and
of course, Koi. Most well known nurseries have been Right column, top to bottom;
visited, many times, old friendships renewed and new Bjorn Bjorholm working on a
ones formed. Japanese White Pine at Kouka-
One important aspect of travelling independently en in Osaka.
is the freedom it gives you to research exactly where Owen Reich at Kouka-en in
Osaka.
nurseries and exhibitions are located and ensure you Mark and Ritta visiting
know how to get there. Maps and details in both Eng- Masahiko Kimura’s garden.
lish and Japanese are essential as they have yet lim- Masumi San at Koju-en.
ited Japanese language skills available to them, but are
still learning. Taking small gifts for the many friends
that they have made, as beautifully presented as those
given by the Japanese, is part of the culture and vi-
tal to the planning. Visiting shows, going to lectures
and watching people working on bonsai is part of the
learning process, usually with such friendly people as
the bonsai professionals who are more than happy to
share their knowledge with these eager Brits.
Soon visiting Japan was not enough; owning
things created there was fast becoming part of the
longing. Could they do it or was it too fraught with
complications. Mark and Ritta discovered early on

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