Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
I have wondered about this a lot recently. All things considered, are bonsai more expensive here in the U.S. than they are in Japan? I know there are extremes in both countries - award-winning trees that sell for multiple thousands of dollars. But for trees that are less than $1,000, or for very good pre-bonsai material, does your dollar go farther in Japan or the U.S.?
(I have only been to Japan once, so my experience is too limited to be considered a representative sample. I would like to hear from people who have visited numerous times or who has specific knowledge about the bonsai trade in Japan. My curiosity stems from the appearance of very good material on Japanese online retailers and auction sites whose quality far surpasses what you could buy here in the U.S. for the same amount (on average)).
(I have only been to Japan once, so my experience is too limited to be considered a representative sample. I would like to hear from people who have visited numerous times or who has specific knowledge about the bonsai trade in Japan. My curiosity stems from the appearance of very good material on Japanese online retailers and auction sites whose quality far surpasses what you could buy here in the U.S. for the same amount (on average)).