Classic Bonsai of Japan [Hardcover]

Nippon Bonsai Association (Author), John Bester (Translator), John Yoshio Naka (Preface)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 4770014333 | ISBN-13: 978-4770014337 | Publication Date: August 2001

Enter the fascinating world of bonsai, the centuries-old gardening art form of cultivating trees as potted plants. Refined to a high art in Japan, bonsai offers not only the familiar gardening delights but also, at its highest levels, a philosophical and aesthetic communion with nature.

Here in CLASSIC BONSAI OF JAPAN, the Nippon Bonsai Association, Japan's preeminent voice of the bonsai tradition, introduces a collection of the finest bonsai pieces to be found in Japan today-some of them presented to a Western audience for the first time. Over 130 fullcolor and 48 black-and-white plates of priceless specimens with informative commentary provide a definitive tour of the bonsai worldfrom a 15-year-old flowering cherry to a majestic 1,000-year-old Yezo spruce. The notes for each piece offer insights into the balance, style, harmony, and overall aesthetic effect along with comments on the history of its cultivation at the hands of several generations of bonsai masters.

John Bester brings his intimate knowledge of Japanese culture and sensibility to an elegant interpretation of bonsai art specifically adapted to Western readers. Essays on appreciation, history, and aesthetics further invite readers to enjoy this "natural" art on an informed level.

A feast for the eyes as well as a lasting monument to the history of an artistic tradition, this deluxe volume is sure to delight the bonsai enthusiast, garden hobbyist, lover of things Japanese-indeed anyone with an interest in looking at art and nature in unison.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"It is not only the length of its lifespan that distinguishes the immobile tree from birds that fly, fish that swim, and men and beasts that walk over the earth; it is also the only living thing that creates, within itself, annual rings spelling out the history of its life." Bonsai, dwarf trees, contain "a record of our ancestors' trials and tribulations" in "less space than a man can encompass with his arms." This (ironically) oversize book includes 200 full-color and black-and-white photographs of Japanese specimens ranging in age from a mere five to 1000 years, and from the cheerful winter jasmine, bedecked with yellow blooms, to wizened junipers with twisted limbs. Bonsai specialists Naka, Aragaki and Marushima detail history, cultivation and stylistic nuances. Presented in an oddly luxe fashion for such an understated art, the trees--bathed in startlingly unambiguous light--appear larger than life, but more legible for that. A Garden Book Club selection.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This sumptuous, oversize book features over 200 high-quality color and black-and-white photos of classic bonsai selected from a 12-volume series published in Japanese for specialist growers. The photos illustrate bonsai of various ages, including examples that are hundreds of years old. An appendix of brief descriptive comments for each plant gives valuable information including age and size. A narrative section provides background on the history of Japanese bonsai and good descriptions of growth styles of various types. This pricey but beautiful book focuses on examples of classic bonsai that will inspire growers and collectors.
- Dale Luchsinger, Athens Area Technical Inst. Lib., Ga.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 188 pages
• Publisher: Kodansha International (JPN) (August 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 4770014333
• ISBN-13: 978-4770014337
• Product Dimensions: 14.7 x 10.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,104,831 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Experience the very finest of the Japanese art of bonsai., March 8, 1998

By 

Jim Seeden - See all my reviews

This review is from: Classic Bonsai of Japan (Hardcover)

The magnificent photographs in this book, accompanied by indications of the size and ages of the trees shown will astound you. Short of a trip to Japan, or perhaps to our National Arboretum, this book provides the best means for enhancing your appreciation of the art of bonsai.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars spectacular large format color photographs, July 25, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Classic Bonsai of Japan (Hardcover)

Incredible masterpieces of Bonsai, most many hundreds of years old, are displayed in exquisite high-resolution photographs. This book is well worth the money for those seeking to study the world's finest examples of this living art form. An well-written and insightful historical survey is included.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well worth the price, December 22, 2000

By 

Isabelle TROIN (TOULON FRANCE) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Classic Bonsai of Japan (Hardcover)

For all bonsai lovers, this book is a must-have! The pictures are the most beautiful you'll ever see, with amazing and rare specimens.