Q. What is the purpose of your trip?

Actually, we’re bonsai enthusiasts, and we came to Japan because we wanted to visit “Shunkaen Bonsai Museum” in Tokyo.

The site, spanning 2,645 square meters, showcases an impressive collection of around 1,000 bonsai trees, making it truly worth a visit. There were also many visitors from overseas.

After traveling to Kyoto and Osaka, and since we’ve always admired Japanese gardens, we couldn’t miss the famous spot, KOKO-EN, so we came all the way to Himeji.

It’s the autumn foliage season now, and we were able to enjoy the garden’s scenery at its most breathtaking.

Q. Why did you get into bonsai?

Bonsai grown by Vinayak

I(Vinayak) became interested in bonsai because my father worked in the garden industry.

Bonsai is not only beautiful to look at and brings comfort to our daily life, but it also teaches us the importance of patience, continuous effort, and attention to detail in taking the time to nurture a bonsai.

The same is true for socializing with others, and bonsai has taught me human virtues.

Q. What is the “beauty of gardens” unique to Japan?

Autumn leaves in KOKO-EN

Of course, there are gardens in other countries as well, but we don’t think any other gardens are as aesthetically pleasing and well arranged as Japan’s, down to the shape and arrangement of the trees.

Pine trees, for example, are pruned in the first few years, focusing on the main trunk and thick branches in order to create a well-balanced branching system. By creating a thick, solid base at the beginning, it will be easier to place and shape the branches later on.

From there, the branches are pruned to avoid excessive overlap, unnecessary branches are removed, and young branches are wired to control their curves in order to achieve the ideal shape.

We was able to see the efforts of these gardeners at KOKO-EN and learned a lot from their work.

I think the beauty of Himeji Castle owes a lot to the neatly arranged stone walls and the surrounding trees.

The Japanese sense of aesthetics when it comes to creating spaces is truly remarkable and never fails to amaze us.

Q. Any last comments please!

The house we live in now is small, with only 4 bonsai trees on the balcony, but we hope to have our own garden in the future. It’s a bit daunting to think about how many years it will take to complete(lol).

I’m patiently waiting, because with time and love, something more beautiful will come out of it. I am looking forward to it!