Need help identifying a large maple

[TyroTinker]

bought a house last year with a large maple tree in the back yard. To me it doesn't even look like a "normal" tree but a huge bonsai I was hoping to get some info about it so I can make some airlayers and care for them properly.
Any knowledge about whatever kind of maple it is would be awesome.
Side. It I was also thinking about removing the 2 rings of rocks (and the dirt)from around the tree and exposing those awesome roots

 

[markyscott]

Japanese maple - Acer palmatum. Very popular bonsai subject.

Scott

 

[TyroTinker]

Thanks. I thought it was but the leaves were smaller then expected on such a large tree. Made me wonder

 

[miker]

Wish I had that Japanese maple in my yard. Lovely tree. Looks like you could have many seedlings to try as bonsai, but based on the leaves, your tree looks like an Acer palmatum cultivar, rather than the straight species, so the seeds will not yield the same cultivar as the tree they came from.

 

[TyroTinker]

Thank you. I like that tree a lot.