Hello こんにちは！

[Collide]

Hello, I'm new to Bonsai, I've wanted to own some for a while but always thought I would just end up killing them so never went ahead with it. Anyways, now I'm living in Japan so I thought this would be the perfect time to give it a shot. Already got some pretty good info from on here. I'm planning to just buy the pots and go hiking in the forest and keep an eye out for a few nice trees to try.
If anyone on here has some tips for that or any living in Japan tips I would greatly appreciate it. Trying to figure out which type of soil at the store to use, other than the one with the picture of the bonsai on it not quite sure. Thanks!
Also, here's some pics from visiting a little tree shop today. I know everyone loves pics lol
The little sakuras were pretty cheap, I'm thinking I should have bought one now.

 

[Vance Wood]

Welcome. You are living in Japan and you're asking us about bonsai? Also you are not going to be going into the woods in Japan and digging up trees, I understand that practice to now be illegal except by permit.

I understand those permits to be as scarse as Bear hunting licenses in Yellow Stone Park.

 

[Collide]

Welcome. You are living in Japan and you're asking us about bonsai? Also you are not going to be going into the woods in Japan and digging up trees, I understand that practice to now be illegal except by permit.

I understand those permits to be as scarse as Bear hunting licenses in Yellow Stone Park.

Hahaha what! Japan never quits amazing me with how crazy they can be on bureaucracy. Thanks for letting me know, I'll check into it.

 

[discusmike]

Looks like you have unlimited great trees to work with.

 

[JudyB]

You are very lucky to be where you are if you want to make bonsai your hobby, or passion. There are so many resources that you will have that are not available here or anywhere else. I don't know if there are clubs, but I'll be there are. I'm not normally one to automatically say to join a club, but if you can find one, I think that would be your best way to start!
Welcome, and please post lots of photos, I know I will appreciate and enjoy them.

 

[dick benbow]

was curious where you are in japan and also what brought you there.

I spent several years on the island of Hokkaido in walkanai with the Armed Forces Radio and TV service.

Appreciate you posting pics

 

[Vance Wood]

You are very lucky to be where you are if you want to make bonsai your hobby, or passion. There are so many resources that you will have that are not available here or anywhere else. I don't know if there are clubs, but I'll be there are. I'm not normally one to automatically say to join a club, but if you can find one, I think that would be your best way to start!
Welcome, and please post lots of photos, I know I will appreciate and enjoy them.

Again I could be wrong but unless you can find a club of gijing (sp?) doing bonsai I think you will find most clubs there are peopled with Masters only and not open to you.

 

[Cypress]

Hahaha what! Japan never quits amazing me with how crazy they can be on bureaucracy. Thanks for letting me know, I'll check into it.

That's not crazy at all, it's called conservation. Japan is a relatively small island for it's population size, and if everyone and their brother (keep in mind how huge bonsai is in japan) went into the woods to collect trees, then the woods would be gone in a few decades.

Are you interested in Bonsai because of selfish desires to OWN a tree, or because you love the beauty of trees and you respect them? It's a pretty serious offense to abuse nature to add to your bonsai collection. Just make sure you always have permission to collect a tree wherever you are.

 

[Cypress]

That's not crazy at all, it's called conservation. Japan is a relatively small island for it's population size, and if everyone and their brother (keep in mind how huge bonsai is in japan) went into the woods to collect trees, then the woods would be gone in a few decades.

Are you interested in Bonsai because of selfish desires to OWN a tree, or because you love the beauty of trees and you respect them? It's a pretty serious offense to abuse nature to add to your bonsai collection. Just make sure you always have permission to collect a tree wherever you are.

Also, as a follow of to my first reply. Here is a very real example of how bonsai fervor has brought trees to the brink of extinction in Japan:

The Shimpaku Juniper may very well be the most popular Juniper species used for bonsai these days, but the Shimpaku really was not discovered until about 100 years ago. The wild Shimpakus in japan have been so over collected that they are facing extinction right now. Meaning probably very soon you will no longer be able to find this tree growing in the wild in Japan.

From one article:

Shimpaku Juniper, which is popularly known as “The Smoke of the Volcano” due to its powerful swirling trunk, was discovered barely a century ago. But in this period it has literally been stripped from its natural surroundings and planted in homes as bonsais. In fact, such has been the craze for this Japanese plant that today it faces extinction on most of the islands where it grew.

From the wikipedia article for Shimpaku Junis:

Many wild trees have been collected in Japan, making it extremely rare to find growing wild. In fact, today the Shimpaku junipers growing in the wild in Japan face extinction due to over collecting

 

[pwk5017]

That balled and burlapped black pine is $1,100. Lol why are you digging trees when you can buy them for so cheap at a nursery? Man, to think if America had that quantity of stock laying about for the prices in japan. If you go to another market or nursery, take some pictures showing the price tags. I think it's fascinating to see the prices on some of those great pieces of stock.

 

[Collide]

was curious where you are in japan and also what brought you there.

I spent several years on the island of Hokkaido in walkanai with the Armed Forces Radio and TV service.

Appreciate you posting pics

Thanks, long story short I just like the country and I did study abroad here in college so after graduating took the first job I got offered here. Been teaching English for half a year now. I'm in the mountains in Miyazaki

Again I could be wrong but unless you can find a club of gijing (sp?) doing bonsai I think you will find most clubs there are peopled with Masters only and not open to you.

I'll ask around but since its the middle of nowhere I bet they wouldn't mind showing me around, they would probably be really surprised I'm interested. Japanese seem to usually be more than happy to show foreigners around.

 

[Collide]

That's not crazy at all, it's called conservation. Japan is a relatively small island for it's population size, and if everyone and their brother (keep in mind how huge bonsai is in japan) went into the woods to collect trees, then the woods would be gone in a few decades.

Are you interested in Bonsai because of selfish desires to OWN a tree, or because you love the beauty of trees and you respect them? It's a pretty serious offense to abuse nature to add to your bonsai collection. Just make sure you always have permission to collect a tree wherever you are.

Sorry if that seemed a bit smug, just I live in the middle of no where with seemingly endless forest around. That seemed a bit overkill coming from my situation. You should also see what its like getting a motorcycle license in Japan, been dealing with government a lot lol

That balled and burlapped black pine is $1,100. Lol why are you digging trees when you can buy them for so cheap at a nursery? Man, to think if America had that quantity of stock laying about for the prices in japan. If you go to another market or nursery, take some pictures showing the price tags. I think it's fascinating to see the prices on some of those great pieces of stock.

I will, the little sakuras were only 10-15 dollars but can't see it in the pics really.

 

[Cypress]

Sorry if that seemed a bit smug, just I live in the middle of no where with seemingly endless forest around. That seemed a bit overkill coming from my situation. You should also see what its like getting a motorcycle license in Japan, been dealing with government a lot lol

It didn't seem smug, I just wanted to impress upon you the importance of conservation and the ethics of collecting wild trees. And I don't think my response was overkill, especially if you're a beginner. I don't think it is wise for someone who doesn't own a tree at all yet to go digging wild trees out of the ground since there's a high probability you would kill the tree.

I have a degree in conservation biology and work in wildlife conservation so, if I came off strong in my response it's just because it's a topic that is very important to me and should be to you. In the US you need permits to collect trees from any state land (at least here in NY and probably most states) or any federal land. And it's generally frowned on to go digging trees out of your neighbors backyard without their blessing.

 

[Adair M]

OMG! In Japan, for $200, you can buy shohin JBP that would sell for $5,000 here in the US.

 

[small trees]

OMG! In Japan, for $200, you can buy shohin JBP that would sell for $5,000 here in the US.

Methinks you and I need to start working on pushing some legislation to cut down on quarantine time.

 

[Jason_mazzy]

send me your trees! lol

 

[Vance Wood]

Methinks you and I need to start working on pushing some legislation to cut down on quarantine time.

I wouldn't be so against quarantine time if it were not for the belief that much of it is political and has little to do with horticultural concerns.

 

[Collide]

It didn't seem smug, I just wanted to impress upon you the importance of conservation and the ethics of collecting wild trees. And I don't think my response was overkill, especially if you're a beginner. I don't think it is wise for someone who doesn't own a tree at all yet to go digging wild trees out of the ground since there's a high probability you would kill the tree.

I have a degree in conservation biology and work in wildlife conservation so, if I came off strong in my response it's just because it's a topic that is very important to me and should be to you. In the US you need permits to collect trees from any state land (at least here in NY and probably most states) or any federal land. And it's generally frowned on to go digging trees out of your neighbors backyard without their blessing.

I didn't mean you were over kill but the process of getting a permit, "I understand those permits to be as scarse as Bear hunting licenses in Yellow Stone Park. " Completely no offense intended man. I was actually assuming that taking a wild tree would be more sensable because I have a high probability of killing it opposed to one someone has already put a few years into raising.

 

[Cypress]

lol, totally.

 

[kakejiku]

If I was living in Miyazaki　I would want to go to the beaches with the beautiful palm trees...not do bonsai...

But here is a bonsai seller...hopefully not the same as the one you posted pics of...
Name: 野元珍松園
Products Sold:小品盆栽から中品・大型盆栽まで幅広く品揃えしています。

〒880-0824　宮崎県宮崎市大島町原ノ前1445-100
TEL　：　0985-23-4986

Good luck...