ALOHA! A LOT has happened since the last newsletter!
After 30 years as a bonsai business, Fuku-Bonsai has established THE AMAZING HAWAIIAN
MICRO-LOBSTERS!™ as its second major specialty to compliment our TRUE INDOOR
BONSAI™!
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. . . MICRO-LOBSTERS?
What's that? Believe it or not, full grown adults are only 1/2"
long! These are truly amazing creatures indigenous to Hawaii's near-ocean anchialine
ponds. They are adorable, sociable creatures that are very adaptable and have long
lives. For over twenty years they've been the secret of aquaculture researchers who grew
them in jars on their desks WITHOUT FEEDING, WITHOUT AN AIR PUMP, AND WITHOUT WATER
CHANGES!
FUKU-BONSAI HAS MADE AND IS CONTINUING TO MAKE MAJOR BREAKTHROUGHS!
Assisted by Hawaii's top aquaculture researchers, we have begun commercial captive
breeding and research. "No feed" units began to appear throughout Hawaii but
they are difficult to export. To create a unique export product, we climbed a
mountain of governmental regulations, met all Hawaii State regulations and became a
licensed aquaculture facility. Our units also meet all United States Department of
Agriculture; Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) regulations for
handcarry or shipping from Hawaii to all parts of the United States. It can also be
handcarried to Japan and Canada.
WE FOUND THE IDEAL FOOD AND THE FUKU-BONSAI INTRODUCTORY MINI-BREEDER
TANK IS NOW THE PREMIER AND ONLY MICRO-LOBSTER BREEDING COLONY ON THE MARKET!
When fed, the Micro-Lobsters are happy, active creatures that retain their natural size,
keep their adorable personalities, and reproduce! It's captivating for children and adults
to watch them filter-feed up side down at the surface!
There is a natural symbiotic relationship between Micro-Lobsters and Hawaiian lava and it
is illegal to collect and sell the creatures without licenses. Coral, beach sand,
and ocean live rock are also illegal to collect and sell. Even lava requires a
special permit. We went through all steps, got clearances, and using the most
beautifully detailed form, created a lava aquascape that is an integral part of the
system!
Micro-Lobsters are ideal for Fuku-Bonsai. It requires extreme attention to detail
and focuses on a very tiny scale. Each and every component must be carefully
analyzed and fitted into the complex aquarium system to create this unique outstanding
Hawaiian product. We transferred our landscaping skills to creating seamount aquascapes
and there's a lot in common with bonsai. Working with these amazing creatures has
been very satisfying and I hope you'll try them and experience the gentle Hawaiian
serenity of man and nature in harmony!
- The original photo (and much of the biological
information) is courtesy of John P. Hoover, author of HAWAII'S SEA CREATURES; A
GUIDE TO HAWAII'S MARINE INVERTEBRATES. The photo was computer enhanced by
Fuku-Bonsai to add details and color contrast. It is possible to clearly see these
details using a 5x jeweler's loupe that is available as an optional item.
Color is determined by red chromatophores. After an extended period underground or
when frightened, the chromatophores contract and they appear white with a tinge of
pink. When in the sun (or under some lights) and in a non-stressed state,
Micro-Lobsters become an attractive dark bright red.
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- LIVING LOVABLE!
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- Meet
"HAWAIIAN DRAGON!™" A popular fun bonsai and just one of
three distinctive stylings! While very young, we created sharp bends so the plant
rises from roots like a playful creature that swirls and twirls! It's one of three
new stylings and with variations, students in workshop classes will have a greater range
of results. "SUMO!" is short and stocky with a lot of low
branches. "ROOTS!" is ideal for exposed root and
root-over-rock styling.
- For training as a
small bonsai, go to Gift
List #2
- (It's part of Fuku-Bonsai's Mahalo Mix & Match Special!)
- For a Living
Lovable Workshop Kit, go to Workshop
Items
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- PACHIRA AVAILABLE!
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- PACHIRA
is a durable popular plant and we took it off the listing when we could not keep up with
production. A limited quantity is now available. We planned to make this year
"The Year of the Pachira!." But unfortunately too many things competed for our
time and we've had to postpone the major Pachira project. But we could not hold back
tradition! Back in 1974, son Tad modeled and introduced our Brassaia small and desk
size lava plantings. In 1997, granddaughter Nicole introduced our Dwarf Schefflera
small and desk size lava plantings. Both were 4 years old, so when grandson Austin
became 4, we got him to help introduce Pachira small and desk size lava plantings!
They are posted at Gift List #1
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We sincerely thank you for your patronage! We're delighted that our
Hawaiian Lava Plantings have been the most successful bonsai gifts for anyone who can grow
houseplants. Our customers use the smallest entry-level items as gifts to introduce True
Indoor Bonsai to their friends and family. We lamented it was necessary to charge a $9
shipping charge for the first plant as that made our smallest items expensive. But,
because shipping costs are much lower when several are shipped to the same address,
we ran a promotion that if 6 plants of any mix were sent to an address, SHIPPING
WOULD BE FREE! It was popular and so we're topping it! We put
all the small lava plantings on sale, introduced Living Lovables at that same low
price, and created "The
Fuku-Bonsai Mahalo Mix & Match Special!" A
MIX & MATCH ASSORTMENT OF ANY 6 "HS" SMALL LAVA PLANTINGS AND/OR LIVING
LOVABLES FOR JUST $99.95 INCLUDING SHIPPING WHEN SENT TO ONE ADDRESS!
(The lava plantings do not include any container. Add $5 each for 4.8" square x
1.2" melamine dish or for each 7" saucer and gravel needed.) These will
make great Christmas gifts or the start of a nice Living Lovable Collection! |
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A PREVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS TO COME! Having rebuilt the nursery, Fuku-Bonsai
is expanding and teaming up with several associates in various parts of the country.
It's fun to work with others and there are a number of projects developing. Meet
potter Richard "Sonny" Boggs!
Article: "ROOT-LOOP" IN BOGGS'
POT!" |
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- RECENT
ARTICLES: "THE ART OF BONSAI lives on after its creators " The Fuku-Bonsai Cultural Center is the host for the Hawaii State Bonsai
Repository. Now when Hawaiian bonsai masters pass away, their best bonsai can come
here to live to be enjoyed by visitors from throughout the world. Hawaii Tribune-Herald article (Dec. 25, 2002)
ISLANDS magazine current September-October 2003 issue
has a 10-page article on East Hawaii with a 1/2 page or so about Fuku-Bonsai.
Photographs have been taken for a United Airlines inflight magazine about the Big Island
and including Fuku-Bonsai. Angela Tillman's bonsai course article will be in the
next issue of Bonsai Clubs International's magazine!
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THE GREAT COMPUTER CRASH!!!
A number of our customers contacted us
concerning the delay in issuing this newsletter and I've had to share the horrible news of
our website system crashing. As most know, although I have minimal computer
skills, I personally put up the website. I don't know a whole lot about websites,
but have subject knowledge and a willingness to teach and share. The site goes up live
with MS FrontPage and I depend upon my Internet Service Provider (ISP) to make back-up
copies in the event the system crashes. They didn't back-up, accidentally deleted the
entire site, and announced that they would no longer support MS FrontPage! It was
frustrating and stressful!
I
had just completed totally revising the website from the extremely long home page that
used a "site map" format to the current layout with the website divided into
sections with portal pages and a small photo at the start of each section. With the help
of a number of friends and customers, the site is mostly back up and in the past month,
the Micro-Lobster site has begun to go up. There still are many areas to fix but we're
already way behind schedule! The computer difficulties could not have come at a worst
time! The initial success of the website had created a momentum and a number of customers
and associates had begun participating. Their stories and photographs are backed up and I
apologize to Mike, Hank, Art, Ray, Thomas, Preston, Jack, Kathy, Angela, Alan, Walter,
Loredana, Fred, Scott, and a host of new Study Group members.
In addition, there are a number of bonsai stories that are the result of the Bonsai Days
(on the second Saturday of each month) hosted by the Mid-Pacific Bonsai Foundation. The
subject for several Bonsai Days were three outstanding trees that had initially been
trained by John Naka, America's premier bonsai teacher and artist. The trees
had been trained by him in 1983 and 1990 and the current styling sessions took the designs
to new heights and were planned as a tribute to this outstanding bonsai master! As time
permits, I will be installing the pages and hope to issue another FBnews in a month
or two. Custom Collection is largely sold out but we'll have a few going up in a month or
so.
When we began the website, we were told that we needed to accept charge cards. We
resisted because we simply did not have the skills or capabilities to assure our customers
would not be exposed to Internet fraud. I'm still not convinced that it's needed.
Over half of our orders come in with a completed printed order form and a personal
check. The order is processed and is shipped on the next Monday or Tuesday via FedEx 2nd
Day Air. It takes two days to the western states and three days to the rest of the
continental US.
Increasingly, more of our orders are coming in as a PayPal Payment that includes both
payment and all needed order information. PayPal is great as we don't ever see
credit card numbers and all information and payment comes in together. There is very
little order processing time and this gives us time to do our work and to keep our prices
low. For those who have questions and/or don't yet have a free PayPal Account, send me an
email order with all details and include: "PLEASE SEND A PAYPAL INVOICE."
The invoice will tell you how to easily open your account and authorize
payment.
CONCLUSION
Fuku-Bonsai
has rebuilt the nursery from the Benlate disaster of 1989 and 1990. We enlarged our Dwarf
Schefflera specialty, wrote a concise True Indoor Bonsai Handbook, created Living
Lovables and workshop packages, and built the most comprehensive True Indoor Bonsai
website. Customer feedback gave us unique knowledge and we shared that knowledge. We will
provide outstanding workshop packages nationally to introduce and share this peaceful art
and hobby.
Micro-Lobsters is our second major specialty. It is indigenous to Hawaii and is a
threatened specie. Over 95% of its original habitats are no longer suitable. With
the support and participation of Hawaii's top aquaculturists, Fuku-Bonsai will become a
national leader in assuring that this amazing creature will be captive bred and available
to individuals and educational institutions. This will assure that the creatures will
share the gentle Hawaiian serenity of man and nature in harmony!
Fuku-Bonsai has been blessed. As we move into a new era, we share our
blessings!
MAHALO! (Thank you!) ~~~David W. Fukumoto, president &
founder, Fuku-Bonsai Inc.
