Bonsai styles

The bonsai in Japanese landscaping has much to do with the traditional styles that are maintained.  This garden art has recognized forms that are followed to consistently produce shapes and structures.   There are basically three main categories of bonsai:  the single trunk, the multiple trunk and the group.   Each has its unique characteristic that bring beauty to the zen garden.

The single  trunk group has many divisions or styles that can be developed.   The most prominent is the upright bent tree trunk of the mayogi.  These are normally conifers with the a twisted trunk and foliage that follows.  The  chokkan is a more formal version with a perfectly straight trunk and a cone shape canopy.  A slanted bonsai tree is called the shakkan, again conifers and junipers are the primary tree species for this type of display.  The umbrella of the hokidachi is shaped like a mushroom and is the perfect candidate for maples and elms.  A very difficult yet spectacular example is the kengai.  The kengai cascades over and out of its container and is trained to grow down.  The han kengai is a version that appears to be almost falling-out of the pot.  These are actually grown in an ancient Chinese tradition.   A derivative of this is the bunjin.  The bunjin incorporates growth both out and down of its pot in combination with the majesty of the classic mayogi.  And yet another derivation might be the weeping look of the shidare.  The natural appearance of the windswept fukinagashi can be an effective way to direct one's eye to another detail in a Japanese garden.   Combining driftwood, the sharimiki approach has been said depicts life and death.  The constant struggle is shown by examples of plants grown on rocks, over rocks or having exposed roots, the seki joju, ishi seki and neagari respectively.   Splitting the trunk of the tree but not separating it is known as the sabamiki technique.

Multiple trunk plants and trees also have specific designs and names.   Bonsai trees that have two trunks are called sokan, three trunks, sankan and more than that are kabudachi.   If the specimen is only connected at the root and not a true multi-trunk, it is in the netsunagari style.  It is important when growing bonsais with multiple trunks that a sense of balance is maintained.  These differ from the group category because they are all single trees.

A group of plants or trees are generally called a yose ue.  The idea is to show a natural forest setting.  The more realistic that this look can be achieved, the more spectacular the result.  This is not a landscape, the true landscape in miniature is known as the sai kei and upon gazing on it one gets a sense of the zen garden.