Walking Around Kinashi - Japan Part One

[SLR5000]

Kinashi Bonsai Village
Here is just a small selection of photos that I took whilst walking around the village. It was bitterly cold with light snow falling during the day. Just near the Kinsahi train station is a very nice bakery with great coffee, so we did make use of the warmth a couple of times. It’s a must if you visit the area.
Lance

The following text is from Bonsai Empire.
Less famous, but many times larger than and perhaps almost as beautiful as Omiya bonsai village, Kinashi is a very impressive sight and surely worth some time in your travel itinerary.

The area has a history of growing Bonsai for over 250 years and it has an 80% share in the domestic market of pine trees. About a hundred nurseries are located here, of which about a dozen can be considered high-end (training high quality trees). Many large fields of young nursery plants are grown in the area too, making the entire neighborhood feel like heaven on earth.

You won’t find many deciduous trees here, as most nurseries grow solely pine trees. There are13 nurseries within walking distance of the Kinashi train station. Taking pictures at the nurseries is generally no problem. There is an exchange market every 5th, 15th and 25th of every month and the main market on the 15th of March and November is worth visiting.

The annual Bonsai festival is held in late October at Ueki Bonsai Center. This is at the same time as the Takamatsu Bonsai Convention, which comes highly recommended, as masterpiece Bonsai trees are on display at the two main tourist sights of Takamatsu (Tamamo park and Ritsurin).

Bonsai Empire website: http://www.bonsaiempire.com/inspiration ... an/kinashi

[SLR5000]

Some More Photos. I hope you enjoy them.

Lance

[bonsaisensation]

Hi lance,
Thanks for sharing the photos. What's the story behind the growing bed of just black pine trunks? I can see the branches been removed and put to the side. Hope you can shed some light on it.

Kind regards

Tien

[SLR5000]

Regarding this photo, I also wondered why they had been cut back. So, today I asked some growers from the Kinashi area whilst at the Kokufu-Ten and they said that the pines had been killed off. There could be a number of reasons why, e.g. no market for the trees, or the owner no longer growing bonsai trees, etc.
The reason why the branches are cut off is to let the tree die off, which makes it easier to remove the stumps from the ground, and then replant something else.

Lance

[SueBee]

Well damn--and thewre I was choosing which stump I liked best!!! Dead no less!!