Stolen shohin tree from 2023 48th Gafuten

[Sansokuu]

From the All Japan shohin Bonsai Associatio’s fb page. A black pine was stolen on sunday 1/8 during the breakdown of the show in Kyoto.

If you have any info, please contact the administrative office in Kyoto (075-682-1230).

 

[Jcmmaple]

Man you hate to hear news like that, some people have no respect.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

The punishment for thieves should be. Once they are caught, the authorities go to the guiltys house and take everything they own. I always thought being left naked and penniless in the street would be a good theft deterrent. A dog can dream.

 

[KikurageOtomo]

Its really a big leap of faith to display your nice trees and other arrangement materials. Even with only a single small, local club show under my belt there was theft of one of our senior members' copper animals he used in a display. One guests child was manhandling almost every display they walked by, grabbing fans, touching trees and stands, picked my suiseki off the daiza and then left it elsewhere on the table, really everything one could muss up on a display. The mother saw everything and said absolutely nothing, up to the point I had to directly approach and ask them not to touch unless given explicit permission.

 

[Paradox]

The punishment for thieves should be. Once they are caught, the authorities go to the guiltys house and take everything they own. I always thought being left naked and penniless in the street would be a good theft deterrent. A dog can dream.

There was a time that theft carried the penalty of having your hand chopped off

 

[Sansokuu]

Its really a big leap of faith to display your nice trees and other arrangement materials. Even with only a single small, local club show under my belt there was theft of one of our senior members' copper animals he used in a display. One guests child was manhandling almost every display they walked by, grabbing fans, touching trees and stands, picked my suiseki off the daiza and then left it elsewhere on the table, really everything one could muss up on a display. The mother saw everything and said absolutely nothing, up to the point I had to directly approach and ask them not to touch unless given explicit permission.

That is just really terrible manners on the parent’s part. Kids rely on us for guidance, all the mom had to do was say we can look but not touch. I have nightmares our toddler will damage something at the Kokufu and they will ban American bonsai enthusiasts for eternity buuuuut what will likely happen is our visit will be brief, then I take her to the Ueno zoo so Nao can ‘do his bonsai thing’.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

There was a time that theft carried the penalty of having your hand chopped off

Yes, that's an option. I was going with the non-violent option despite having my car broken into 4 times. I just quit buying after market stereo equipment. I completely understand as I once wanted to have my car nuked from space once the radio power is cut so the thief was dealt with. Now that I'm older I'd be happy with driving past some naked loser, knowing what their crime was.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

Its really a big leap of faith to display your nice trees and other arrangement materials. Even with only a single small, local club show under my belt there was theft of one of our senior members' copper animals he used in a display. One guests child was manhandling almost every display they walked by, grabbing fans, touching trees and stands, picked my suiseki off the daiza and then left it elsewhere on the table, really everything one could muss up on a display. The mother saw everything and said absolutely nothing, up to the point I had to directly approach and ask them not to touch unless given explicit permission.

Yes it is a leap of faith . Bad behaviour by children is bad parenting . Unfortunately the ability to reproduce does not mean the ability to be a parent . Trees in a exhibit . It is not difficult to find out who the owner is and modern Social media makes . Tracking a address easy . Opening your collection to theft . But there is only so much we can do . Unfortunately as the value of trees and pots go up . So will the crime . I once was asked to water a collection of trees while the owner was on vacation . To my surprise they had a stunning collection . That the local bonsai community was not aware of . Theft at there previous residence lead to them keeping there hobby private and a lack of involvement in the local bonsai scene . Which is a complete shame . Classic case of the victim of crime . Being the ones that pay the penalty

 

[Ruddigger]

At our club show we station members around to keep an eye out, but sometimes things happen too fast.

My sensei had a huge california juniper on a display pedestal, it cantilevered way out with this big drop branch. Some kid was walking by and suddenly he jumped up and slammed down on the branch like a high five or something. The whole thing bent straight down. His dad was standing there with a look of horror on his face staring at me. Luckily he didn't break it somehow, and I bent it back before my sensei could notice it.

At our most recent show an elderly woman walked into our backdrop stands and knocked everything over onto a big cascade. I was doing a demo and had to run over and catch it before it fell off the stand.

Luckily nothing stolen so far, but displaying in public can be a harrowing experience.

 

[Carol 83]

This kind of continued theft may start preventing those with high-end trees from making them available for the public to view and appreciate. What a shame that would be and to what gain?

 

[Frozentreehugger]

This kind of continued theft may start preventing those with high-end trees from making them available for the public to view and appreciate. What a shame that would be and to what gain?

Most thieves are idiots . They just don’t care about anyone or anything . But them selves . They will do thousands of dollars worth of damage to . Your home and property . Steal your prize tree . Rip it out of the pot and throw it away . Because there to misinformed what it is or worth . Then sell the pot because it looks kind of cool . For a bit of drugs . Next level up will know the tree is valuable but will kill it from lack of knowledge of care before finding a buyer . I have a lot of trouble . Believing a bonsai person would steal someone else’s tree . I can truly say bonsai people are sone of the best I have ever had the pleasure of being associated with . Can’t fathom the idea . What are you going to do with the tree . Be reminded your scum ever time you water . Restyle it and sell it . Only scum would attempt to steal someone’s passion . If your tree is stolen find the nearest drug dealer and offer cash no questions asked for its return . Probable your best shot at its return

 

[19Mateo83]

There was a time that theft carried the penalty of having your hand chopped off

They need to bring this back

 

[KateM]

How about mucking?

 

[PowerTap]

Yes, that's an option. I was going with the non-violent option despite having my car broken into 4 times. I just quit buying after market stereo equipment. I completely understand as I once wanted to have my car nuked from space once the radio power is cut so the thief was dealt with. Now that I'm older I'd be happy with driving past some naked loser, knowing what their crime was.

My uncle went to college in Boston some years ago and eventually just parked his car with a sign in the window that said "the stereo has already been stolen".

 

[Potawatomi13]

Complete camera surveillance, NO uncontrolled/ill behaved children under 12(?)years old allowed, Security inspection of all pockets, bags and purses for goods without receipts, news coverage of any thieves faces.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

Complete camera surveillance, NO uncontrolled/ill behaved children under 12(?)years old allowed, Security inspection of all pockets, bags and purses for goods without receipts, news coverage of any thieves faces.

it’s a slippery slope . On one hand you have very valuable objects on display . Not only in monetary value . And shows often have a vender area ripe for theft . On the other hand you have what the general publics perception as a art and or cultural display . You can’t involve strip searching and not allowing children . But I have to admit after I approached the government of Japan years ago .we organized the annual Ottawa bonsai society show to be held at the Japanese embassy . It raised the bar . On what the public expectations were . People were respectful of the fact that there on foreign property . The embassy themselves supplied ample security for there own interests. The public was much better behaved . There is no vendor area it’s a art display . In a relative smaller easily controlled area . It just increased the level . Of respect . It is not in the same banquet hall that . Had the home renovation show last weekend . With kids running around spilling there lunch drink on the trees . It’s unfortunate . But you can have a art display On a street corner . Or in a museum . There is going to be a different acting public .

 

[Pitoon]

There was a time that theft carried the penalty of having your hand chopped off

In some countries that's still a reality.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

There should be a kids CACTUS section.

 

[Sansokuu]

There should be a kids CACTUS section.

Honestly, our toddler would love it. We taught her that cactus and similar pricklies are prickly but she just loves to say ‘tzak tzak! (Prickly in taiwanese) and give it a gentle enough touch that she doesnt get stabbed.

 

[Pixar]

Suggest putting hidden Apple Airtag device into your expensive bonsai pots