Japan Region
Bonsai Gift to the U.S. National Arboretum
In 1975, the Nippon Bonsai Association not only contributed 53 bonsai for the U.S. bicentennial gift, but also sought to promote cultural development between Japan and the United States. The donated bonsai displayed at the Japanese Pavilion helped to promote our important duty to introduce bonsai to the world.
In 1995, the U.S. government requested seven new species of bonsai from the Nippon Bonsai Association. In the requested list of trees, including Ligustrum obtusi folium and Celastrns orbiculatus, were those which were difficult to obtain in the United States. This donation was realized by Japanese enthusiasts who cooperated with the Nippon Bonsai Association.
The Japanese side had a commemorative ceremony in Tokyo in December 1996. Mrs. Elizabeth Ley, the manager of Garden came to attend this ceremony. On April 23, 1998, the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington held a gala ceremony for seven new bonsai before their display to the public. This ceremony was aftered by Mr. Saburo Kato, chairman of the NBA, Mr. Hirosumi lchihara, president of the Nippon Satsuki Association and four others. Japanese Ambassador Mr. Kunihiko Saito extended congratulatory remarks during the ceremony. The seven species donated to the United States titled 'Magnificent Seven' were: Taxus cuspidata, Juniperus rigida, Corylopsis spicata, Ligustrum obtusifolium, Camellia 24.japonica, Magnolia kobus. and Celastrus orbiculatus.
The Nippon Bonsai Association has gladly responded to requests from overseas to send bonsai leaders to international conventions, demonstrations, and workshops.
The 2nd Latin American Bonsai Encounter
From March 12 to 15, 1997, The Nippon Bonsai Association sent Mr. Hatsuji
Kato, an official lecturer of the NBA and Mr. Kazuya Morita, an editor of
the NBA magazine to attend the 2nd Latin American Bonsai Encounter held
in Cab, Colombia. Because of the request by Mrs. Solita Tafur, director
for the Latin America region, the NBA was able to send two staff to Latin
America with the support of the Japan Foundation. Mr. Hatsuji Kato, an official
lecturer, conducted a demonstration and workshop for the participants. Mr.
Kazuya Morita, an editorial staff member of the NBA magazine gave a lecture
on Japanese bonsai with slides.
The 3rd World Bonsai Convention
The Nippon Bonsai Association sent bonsai lecturers to the 3rd World Bonsai
Convention in Seoul, Korea. Mr. Kato, the leader of the group, conducted
a demonstration on a group planting of black pines.
The 4th Asia Pacific Bonsai and Suiseki Convention and Exhibition
Mr. Hideo Kato, an official lecturer of the NBA, was sent to the 4th ASPAC
Convention held in Shanghai, China, from October 31 to November 2, 1997,
where he created a beautiful black pine semi-cascade bonsai.
The Bonsai and Suiseki Exhibition in San Marino
Mr. Susumu Nakamura, an official lecturer of the NBA, was sent to the bonsai
exhibition held in San Marino from June 6 to 7, 1998, at the request of
the Bonsai Club San Marino. According to his impression, the bonsai movement
now arising in San Marino is very active and vigorously gaining popularity.
From August 28 to 31, Mr. Nakamura visited Sweden for the Japan Fest to
introduce Japanese bonsai and teach bonsai techniques.
Heads of State of Japan and US Promote Friendship through Bonsai
The late former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, an avid bonsai lover, gave
an Ezo spruce bonsai to commemorate former U.S. President Bill Clinton's
visit to Japan in November 1998. President Clinton was moved by this gift.
In May 1999, when Prime Minister Obuchi visited America for the summit conference
between Japan and the United States, President Clinton 25.presented a California
juniper bonsai to him as a souvenir. This bonsai exchange was widely reported
on TV and in newspapers in Japan. This was good news to the bonsai world
and marked a great highlight of recent years.
The Ezo spruce bonsai that was presented by Prime Minister Obuchi is 250 years old and in the formal upright style. This bonsai has a great history. When Saburo Kato, current chairman of the Nippon Bonsai Association, was a young boy in the 193Os, he found this tree with his father, Tomekichi, a famous bonsai artist. The father and son raised this tree together and it became a masterpiece bonsai. The bonsai presented by President Clinton was taken from the mountain region of California and nurtured to become a masterpiece bonsai. It is 300 years old and in the informal upright style. These two special gifts represent the highest form of grace and elegance in bonsai. .
Nippon Bonsai Association Staff Accompany Prime Minister to Promote
Bicultural Relations
At the request of the Foreign Ministry of Japan, Chairman Saburo Kato and
three of his staff accompanied former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi on his
visit to the United States in May 1999. They attended the bonsai event held
at the U.S. National Arboretum on May 2 in Washington D.C. and promoted
bonsai exchange between Japan and the United States. The members were Chairman
Kato, Director Hiroshi Takeyama, Director Jiro Fukuda and Kazuya Morita,
a member of the editorial staff of the Nippon Bonsai Association magazine.
Chairman Kato gave a lecture on bonsai titled "Heart of Bonsai."
After his lecture, Directors Takeyama and Fukuda gave a bonsai demonstration.
This bonsai event in the United States was the result of a discussion by
Dr. Thomas S. Elias, director of the U.S. National Aboretum, and former
Prime Minister Obuchi at the Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition in Tokyo that February.
Chairman Kato Explains Bonsai to the President and First Lady
Chairman Kato was invited to the White House on May 3, 1999. He explained
to President Clinton how he and his father had raised the Ezo spruce bonsai,
which was presented by Prime Minister Obuchi. His explanation about the
Ezo spruce bonsai made a deep impression on the president. This Ezo spruce
bonsai is currently on display at the Japanese bonsai pavilion of the U.S.
National Arboretum.
Bonsai Trees Contribute to U.S.-Japan Diplomatic Relations
This is the inside story of the bonsai exchange between Bill Clinton and
Obuchi, the nations' former political leaders.
Former Prime Minister Obuchi was very interested in bonsai. In November 1998, when U.S. President Clinton came to Japan to have talks, Obuchi chose a 250-year-old tree as a gift.
The Ezo spruce bonsai was exhibited in Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, where the meeting took place, and was presented to Clinton. He said, with amazement, he had never seen such a great bonsai before. The following day, several major Japanese newspapers reported the story with banner headlines and pictures.
After that, the tree was delivered to the United States and placed in the Japanese pavilion in the U.S. National Arboretum.
In May 1999, Obuchi visited Clinton in the United States to have another meeting. Clinton decorated the meeting room with the bonsai that Obuchi had given him the previous year. The presentation made Obuchi quite pleased, the media reported.
At the time of Obuchi's visit, the Japanese government sent four other people to the United States including Saburo Kato, the chairman of the Nippon Bonsai Association. He gave lectures and demonstrations at the U.S. National Arboretum. As well as the political leaders, the bonsai fans of the two countries strengthened relations. In the evening after the political talks, Kato was invited to the White House and gave Mr. and Mrs. Clinton a thorough explanation of the background of the bonsai.
The Siberian pine tree, called an Ezo spruce, originated from a wild breed from Kunashiri Island, one of the northern islands. Kato's father, Tomekichi Kato, brought it back from there in the 1930s. (Note: Kunashiri used to be Japanese territory. After World War II , Russia occupied the north island. Japan has been claiming that it is Japanese territory.)
"It would have been an honor for my father to know that the president liked our special bonsai," Kato, the son said. "The perfectly straight figure is called chokkan (literally meaning a straight trunk), and is the symbol of a growing nation -- the United States," he explained to 26.Mr. and Mrs. Clinton. They listened to Kato's explanation while nodding in appreciation, and promised to take great care of the bonsai.
Clinton also presented a bonsai to Obuchi as a gift for his visit. It was a 300-year-old California juniper (shinpaku), which is the most popular tree among American bonsai fans for its noble beauty.
Back home, Obuchi proudly displayed the present during a press conference at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo. In February 2000, the tree was moved to the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art to be displayed in an exhibition organized by the Japan Bonsai Association. Obuchi and Kato were seen together among the visitors. Dr. Thomas Elias, the director of the U.S. National Arboretum, and Felix Laughlin the chairman of the U.S. Bonsai Foundation, also visited with 20 or so members of the foundation. Dr. Elias presented Obuchi with an American river stone.
This must be the first time in history that bonsai have played an important diplomatic role in international relations through political leaders, exchanging of bonsai as gifts.
Having lived as a bonsai fan and contributing to friendly relation between the United States and Japan, Obuchi died of infarction on May 14 after being in coma for about one month. We will always remember him as a sincere, caring and warm-hearted person. .
The Japanese government conducted Obuchi's state funeral in Tokyo on June 8, where people saw the bonsai from Clinton. The tree remineded people of his passion for bonsai. At the funeral, Clinton placed flowers on the coffin and expressed his sympathy. Kato also attended the funeral as a representative of the Japan Bonsai Association.
Masayuki Fuji0 Becomes President of the Nippon Bonsai Association
(Born on Jan. 1, 1917)
Masayuki Fujio, former consultant for the Nippon Bonsai Association, was
elected as the president of the association. He served as an MP for 31 years.
Working. in the Diet, he served as the Minister of Labor and the Minister
of Education. He is well known as a bonsai enthusiast. For 20 years he has
supported many projects of the Nippon Bonsai association. In 1989, he made
a speech at World Bonsai Convention as a consultant and announced the establishment
of the World Bonsai Friendship Association. He ended his career as a politi-cian
in 1996. He was rewarded with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising
Sun for his duties.
by Kazuya Morita
Editor, Nippon Bonsai Association magazine