ALOHA! How time flies when you're having fun! This story actually began forty years ago in 1962 when as newlyweds, Myrt and I began growing a Brassaia houseplant in our modest apartment. It eventually was potted, rock-planted, and still thrives at Fuku-Bonsai. It began a lifelong bonsai passion that became a part-time backyard nursery in 1972 primarily to provide ideally prepared bonsai stock for my bonsai classes and to create successful houseplant bonsai gift items.
In my early years, I was repeatedly told, and I repeatedly read in many books, that it took 30 years to create a "finished bonsai." By some standards, that's true, especially if you're growing traditional outdoor bonsai in temperate climates. Slow-growing trees in regions with short growing seasons represent a real bonsai challenge. Not only are there challenges to learn bonsai, there are very real difficulties in successfully wintering over the trees, and less experienced growers of outdoor bonsai in the northern part of the United States may lose half or more of their bonsai each year!
THE INTERNATIONAL AGE OF BONSAI!
Most of the Western world learned of bonsai as American occupational troops returned from Japan after World War II. Here in Hawaii, bonsai was already well-established with numerous clubs that were part of very secretive or social pastimes of mainly older Japanese men. In the late 1960's a few of us formed the non-profit Hawaii Bonsai Association to promote and teach bonsai and we got caught up in the midst of an International Age of Bonsai with a remarkable generation of extraordinary bonsai leaders. The Fuku-Bonsai International Honor Roll lauds Hawaii's Haruo "Papa" Kaneshiro, Japan's Saburo Kato, California's John Naka, Hong Kong's Yee-sun Wu, Japan's Akiji Kataoka, and Hawaii's Ted Tsukiyama. Amongst these honorees were those that formed the World Bonsai Friendship Federation (WBFF) in 1989.
Last summer, WBFF leadership was suddenly transferred first to John Naka, then to Felix Laughlin, the new president of the North American Bonsai Federation (NABF) and I was asked to assist. It was a daunting task as very few had heard of NABF and many felt it was an unneeded organization. But it is needed as our region's representative in the "Bonsai United Nations." So, although I already had a very full schedule, I assisted. I commend Felix, webmaster Andy Rutledge, and the NABF Editorial Team in completing the first newsletter now posted at http://www.bonsai-wbff.org/nabf/newsletter1/newsletter1index.htm
The issue is a "Tribute to John Naka!", America's foremost bonsai mentor-philosopher. John was more than a bonsai teacher and author of two outstanding bonsai books. As much as those of us in Hawaii were inspired and influenced by Papa Kaneshiro, John inspired the continental US and the world! While I left the team to return to my responsibilities, I hope my efforts helped to build an international bonsai organization devoted to creating international friendships and promoting all forms of artistic pot plants. For the past 30 years, Fuku-Bonsai has promoted these same objectives and we will continue to do so in our own unique manner!
THE MYTH OF BONSAI MASTERPIECES
Fuku-Bonsai is often at odds with some of the organized bonsai community who tend to favor their version of Japanese Bonsai. This is not to say anything bad about Japanese Bonsai. The Japanese bonsai masterpieces are incredibly beautiful, awe-inspiring, exhibiting the highest sense of aesthetics, and perfect in every detail! It's impossible to believe that any moral human being can create such beauty in a whole lifetime, much less in thirty years! The truth is that very few if any of the famous bonsai masterpieces were totally created in thirty years!
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- Ted Tsukiyama at Estes Park, Colorado; July 16, 1986. When nature's bonsai are successfully collected, they instantly surpass the best that any bonsai grower-trainer can grow in a lifetime from a seed or cutting!
Most masterpiece bonsai were aged trees from very harsh growing environments that assumed exciting, extraordinary shapes from epic struggles to survive. These trees may have been hundreds of years old and were already nature's masterpieces when they were skillfully collected. In the hands of a bonsai master, these trees become bonsai masterpieces. As long as there is sufficient horticultural skill, even in the hands of a total beginner, it is possible for these trees to become bonsai masterpieces!
In bonsai, the term "bonsai stock" is used to describe the plant material before a bonsai training session. If the material has had some (or even extensive pre-training), it is called "prepared bonsai stock." The potential as bonsai is more attributed to the prepared bonsai stock as even the most innovative bonsai trainer can do very little with bonsai stock that have no promise or potential. If you want to create a bonsai masterpiece, start with masterpiece bonsai potential and a masterpiece bonsai idea!
So is the goal of training a bonsai masterpiece important? Should there be contests and competitions? Should there be awards and prizes for bonsai competitions with the odds stacked in favor of those who have access or the wealth to acquire masterpiece bonsai stock? In my early years, I looked forward to bonsai competitions until I consistently won trophies. Those trophies have long since been thrown away as I realized that they represent what is wrong with bonsai! For over 30 years, I have been strongly against all bonsai competitions!
BONSAI AS A BRIDGE TO INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP & PEACE!
I believe bonsai is a god-given gift to mankind that should reflect man and nature in harmony! How can there be harmony in a competitive bonsai world that does not have a level playing field? Bonsai should not be only a celebration of the most aggressive elite bonsai enthusiasts! Bonsai should be a populist hobby in addition to being a commercial craft and an individual art!
Bonsai can be beautiful, inspiring, and touch the hearts of all who view them. In sharing the beauty of bonsai, we share successful creations of man and nature in harmony. In growing healthy, thriving plants in an artificial environment with limited media, we learn the natural rules of life and nurture the life in the pot. In training and guiding plants to become unique individuals, we come to understand and appreciate the uniqueness of each person!
Japanese bonsai grand master Saburo Kato has stated that the most important sound is the footsteps of a bonsai trainer coming to care for his tree. This bond is very similar as the commitment between mother and child to nurture and guide the tree. The most important aspect of bonsai is the bond that exists or is created between a bonsai and its owner-trainer. We can only create true friendships if there is a gentle courtesy, respect, and justice. We can only seek peace if we are at peace with ourselves!
THE FUKU-BONSAI DREAM!
Fuku-Bonsai began with three major objectives: 1) To provide the most successful gift bonsai. 2) To offer outstanding prepared bonsai stock for individual or group bonsai classes. And 3) To promote and educate the art and cultures of all forms of artistic pot plants. Especially in the last two years, we've made extraordinary progress! Fuku-Bonsai's True Indoor Bonsai are the most successful gift bonsai for anyone who grows houseplants. The Keiki Bonsai Workshops have very high-success. The website has become an exceptional communication vehicle for a growing number who want to grow houseplant bonsai.
Fuku-Bonsai has researched True Indoor Bonsai extensively for 30 years. We very quickly recognized that outdoor junipers will not grow indoors. Sellers of juniper bonsai who make such gross misrepresentations are frauds. Another type of fraud sells any and all "tropical bonsai" as "indoor bonsai." Not all tropical plants are houseplants and to differentiate our products from these frauds, we trademarked "True Indoor Bonsai!"
BUILDING A FUKU-BONSAI TEAM
In the past few years, we've been honored to have the assistance and support of a number of individuals who have joined the Fuku-Bonsai Study Group to continue the research necessary for continually improving the success rate.
The most exciting event for us was when Angela Tillman put together bonsai classes as part of an 8th grade art course. It explored well beyond the typical bonsai course! Angela just completed the conclusion of the course and the entire activity was reported, beginning with her first trial plant. The story goes through eight sections beginning at www.fukubonsai.com/3a2g.html
We learned that bonsai can be taught in non-bonsai settings and that bonsai is a valid subject matter that can expose students to the greater world around them. The series has been submitted and accepted for wider publication. This is a significant breakthrough, but it's just the start of things to come! With Angela's help, we are developing a smaller Living Lovable™ Workshop Package that will retail for $25 or less and be available in wholesale or group quantities with unit prices half as much! We are developing prepared bonsai stock with a variety of styling to fit a range of budgets.
These efforts are also resulting in Fuku-Bonsai's future Gift List to have a greater range of styling, sizes, and prices! The curriculum being developed has a front end fundraising component and we will have feasibility soon. Several "stand-alone" workshops are being designed and the "introductory workshop" is being designed to give a full general knowledge in 40 minutes! The first prototypes are being introduced to Fuku-Bonsai Cultural Center visitors and will be introduced in this website in 2003. Someday, these workshops will be widely available, including at bonsai conventions. All individuals interested in hosting bonsai classes are invited to email me and participate in the development of these exciting introductory bonsai workshops.
Meet Loredana Quadro of New York who is another outstanding Fuku-Bonsai Study Group member. Loredana wrote with concerns about the slowness of growth on one of the branches of a Fuku-Bonsai that had been given to her as a gift. Her photography was exceptional and she has the right instincts. In less than a year, she learned basic pruning principles, developed a suitable potting media from scratch, rooted the branch that was cut off, and is now well into training her second bonsai! It is possible to learn horticulture and bonsai with website information and emails! Her story begins at: www.fukubonsai.com/4c3a.html
With her help, a "Fuku-Bonsai True Indoor Bonsai™ Soil" is being developed and we may be able to make the formal announcements next year! There will be major savings as it will be shipped by UPS Ground within the continental US and be available in gallon or larger bulk quantities. This has been one of the major items of the "must have" list to make bonsai workshops possible throughout the country.
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There are
two major articles on light. "Growing Bonsai Indoors Under Fluorescent
Lights" by Jack Wikle is at www.fukubonsai.com/2b2a2a.html
Photos have been sent and will be added soon. Meet Jerry "Bonsaihunk"Meislik! Jerry is an old friend formerly living in Michigan, who recently retired and moved to northern Montana, about 50 miles from the Canadian border where it's not uncommon for there to be four feet of snow outside! Jerry is willing and able to pursue bonsai with the commitment and resources to create the optimum environment for tropical bonsai. He shares his knowledge in a great guest story at www.fukubonsai.com/2b2a2b.html Jerry is very prominent in the bonsai community, has had roles in a number of bonsai organizations and has been published very widely. Jerry and I will be running comparative trials and I've encourage him to write a book. I'll try to assist him and he'll be a valuable member of our study group. |
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I've always admired beautiful calligraphy and was very appreciative in receiving this as a gift in a unique bamboo frame from recent visitors Sam Blair and Waihee Carmen Wong. In Chinese: "Tao of Pun-sai" - in Japanese: "Way of Bonsai." |
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CONCLUSION
Very few people have the opportunity to follow their passion and to create a lifestyle around it! I've had the support of my family, friends, staff and associates. My hobby has become my business and the business has become my hobby. In having this priviledge, I also have the obligation to help advance the art and over the past 30 years, I've done my best to research, create, and share.
A dozen years ago, Fuku-Bonsai sprayed defective Benlate fungicide that killed or stunted most of the plants that had been in training since 1973. We lost the Kona Fuku-Bonsai Center but have now rebuilt our nursery production and continue to try to collect damages from DuPont in federal court in Honolulu. It was rough!
But we survived, have begun expansion, and will be increasing marketing. We seek marketing representatives and wholesale accounts throughout the continental US, especially in the central, northern and East Coast. The best people are those who know and understand how to handle Fuku-Bonsai's True Indoor Bonsai, especially those who have a marketing background and would like to give bonsai classes. This could be a retirement or part-time activity. Please contact me if you're interested or know of a person who would be interested.
As a corporation, Fuku-Bonsai aspires to be a product development and marketing company. We have begun "Phase II: We Will Grow!" There are a number of exciting developments that will be introduced or announced next year. We are committed and growing for the future and building a national Fuku-Bonsai Team!
I thank everyone who has helped us along the way and those purchasing our plants. We pledge to continue our efforts to produce the highest quality plants and gifts, to promote and educate the art and culture of bonsai, to aid the community economy, and to compliment the Big Island visitor industry. We invite you to visit us!
Sincerely, ~~~David W. Fukumoto, president & founder, Fuku-Bonsai Inc.
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FORESTS, ROCK PLANTINGS, & EZO SPRUCE by Saburo Kato. Originally printed in Japanese in 1962, this book became a classic that taught many of today's bonsai leaders the art of training forest arrangements. Saburo Kato is considered the spirit of the International Bonsai Peace Movement and in giving the National Bonsai Foundation permission to reprint it in English, much of the proceeds go to support very worthy bonsai organizations! See Book Review & Ordering Information |
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