Page 22 - Tạp chí bonsai cây cảnh BCI 2015Q1

It never ceases to surprise me how

many young Japanese folks are, at

the very least, intrigued by bonsai,

but also how many do still decide to

pursue apprenticeships at nurseries

around the country, despite the

potential economic risks.

the decline, that no young Japanese people are really
interested in pursuing bonsai as a career these days
(the implication being that there is little or no inter-
est in traditional Japanese art amongst young folks).
I have to say, to me, this doesn’t seem to be the case
at all. There’s certainly no doubt that during the eco-
nomic bubble period of the 1980s, bonsai was a seri-
ously lucrative career choice, and, as such, nurseries
across the country had a constant influx of apprentices
seeking success in the industry. But the seeming lack
of interest in bonsai as a career choice today in Japan
is not due to an overall shift away from traditional
arts by young Japanese. Rather, it’s almost exclusively
economically motivated. Japan has been in a period
of economic stagnation since the early ’90s, and dis-
posable income has decreased during this period as
well—many companies no longer offer the bi-annual
bonuses they used to, particularly after the huge reces-
sion in 2008. This means that it is becoming harder
and harder to make a living as a bonsai professional
in Japan today. However, it never ceases to surprise
me how many young Japanese folks are, at the very
least, intrigued by bonsai, but also how many do still
decide to pursue apprenticeships at nurseries around
the country, despite the potential economic risks.

Where do Japanese bonsaists look for inspiration?
What is energizing bonsai in Japan today?
In recent years, there has been a huge increase in
young foreigners coming to Japan to undertake ap-
prenticeships in bonsai, and I think this is playing a
huge role in shifting the perception of bonsai in Japan
Top; repotting is one of the themselves. As a result, Kouka-en’s business model as an “old man’s hobby” to that of an internationally
major activities in spring. has shifted more towards rapid turnover of material, recognized art form. I would venture to say, in fact,
Middle; Keiichi Fujikawa applies which means higher volume is rolling through the shop that the number of foreign apprentices in Japan now
pesticide and fungicide three throughout the year. This has been the real motivating either matches or has surpassed that of Japanese ap-
to four times during the factor behind Fujikawa-san adding more apprentices to prentices—and I think that is really exciting!
summer.
Bottom; Keiichi evaluating a the team as of late. This isn’t to suggest that the nursery The auction process shown in your film is interest-
potential purchase at one of has become a cookie-cutter bonsai factory—we simply
the bonsai auctions he attends have a higher volume of material that requires profes- ing. What compels Keiichi Fujikawa to bid on a tree?
regularly. sional styling for public consumption. Beyond the basic profit motive, Fujikawa-san is con-
stantly on the lookout for material that might fit the
How would you describe the current state of Bonsai tastes of a particular client. In other words, Kouka-
in Japan? en has a number of regular clients that have specific
I often hear from folks around the world that their preferences, and Fujikawa-san tries to source mate-
overall perception of Japanese bonsai is that it is on rial that might potentially peak the interest of those

20 | BCI | January/February/March 2015