JAPANESE STYLES OF BONSAI



 

      The various compositions of bonsai are based on an interplay of main trunk line movement, overall shape or outline of the tree(s), number of trunks from a single root, number of trees in a composition, form of container used, type of non-formal presentation, and even size.  A number of classification systems have been put forth to categorize the resulting myriad Japanese styles. 
      Standardization of different classification systems always presents a challenge.  The chart below is no exception.  The following scheme emerged as this chart was being compiled.  The table was set up initially using the order of Yoshimura & Halford's classifications to label the rows.  Additional styles from the other authors were inserted as rows by RJB where they seemed to logically fit. 
      Each column is distinct to itself and is based on a given source's stated classification of styles.  If no main or principle categories were specifically stated or shown, the styles are in order of their presentation in the particular book in small alpha sequence (a, b, c...).  Otherwise, main groups or categories are prefixed 1, 2, 3...   Those numbers might then be followed by capitalized alpha (A, B, C...), which represent the principal styles or subcategories within those main groups.  Additional subcategories under those are designated with small alpha (a, b, c...).  Further breakdowns under the additional subcategories are small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii...). 
      Alternative names to those in the row headings on the left are listed.  Descriptions in addition to the row name start with "or" before the term.  Alternative Japanese terms are in parenthesis.  Where no Japanese term is given, "( nJ )" is employed.
      As with everything else on this web site, your feedback is encouraged to better, correct, amend, or challenge the historical picture emerging.  Additional sources may be listed in future versions of this page.
 
1900-1902
Nozaki
Yashiroda
Yoshimura
 Koide et al
Naka
Samson
I. SHAPE OF TRUNK, generally a single trunk
1
 
 
1
Formal Upright (chokkan)
1a
 a
1a
1A
Informal Upright (tachiki)
7
Upright
( nJ )
1b
 
1
Upright (tachi-gi)
1e
Informal Upright (moyo-gi)
 
 b
1c
 
Slanting (shakan)
1c
 d
1b
1B
Minimum Slant (sho-shakan)
 
 
1bi
 
Midway Slant (chu-shakan)
 
 
1bii
 
Great or Extreme Slant (dai-shakan)
 
 
1biii
 
Semicascade (han-kengai)
1d
 
2b
or Midway
1f
Cascade (kengai)
Maumené, Fig.7
(kengaï)
8
hanging style ( nJ )
d
( nJ )
1e
 k
2/2a
Ordinary or formal cascade
1C
Great or extreme almost vertical (dai-kengai)
 
 
2c
 
Top of a cliff or dome cascade (gaito-kengai)
 
 
2d
 
Waterfall cascade (taki-kengai)
 
 
2e
 
Trunk and branches cascading as a mass of strings (ito-kengai)
 
 
2f
 
More than two trunks cascading (takan-kengai)
 
 
2g
 
Literati (bunjingi)
1f
 j
1e
Abstract and free
1g
Coiled (bankan)
1g
 
1f
Gnarled
1D
Broom (hokidachi)
1h
 l
15b
(hoki-zukuri)
1h
Branches falling down or weeping
(nazashi)
Maumené, Fig.5
Split-trunk (sabamiki)
1i
 
 
1i
Split or Hollowed trunk (sabakan)
 
 
1h
 
Knobby trunk (kobukan)
 
 
1i
 
Driftwood (sharimiki)
1j
 
 
1j
Peeled bark trunk (sharikan)
 
 
1j
 
Wind-swept (fukinagashi)
1k
 i
1d
1k
Exposed-root (neagari)
Bedford, p.916; Tsumura, p.9;
Maumené, Fig.8
(neazari)
1l
 g
13
1l
Aerial-root (neku)
 
 
 
1m
Root-over-rock (sekijoju)
1m
 
 
1n
Clinging-to-a-rock (ishitsuki)
9
( nJ )
c
plant clasping a stone
1n
 n
11
(ishizuke)
1o
Twisted-trunk (nejikan)
10
( nJ )
1o
 
1g
1p
Octopus (takozukuri)
5
(tako-tsukuri)
1p
 
12
1q
II. MULTIPLE TRUNKS from a Single Root
2
 
 
2
Twin-trunk (sokan)
2a
 c1
3
Double trunk
2A
Double trunk
Three trunks (sankan)
 
 2ai
c2
 
 
Five trunks (gokan)
   
2aii
c3
 
 
Clump (kabubuki or kabudachi)
2b
 e
5
2B
Stump (korabuki, lit. "turtle back")
2c
 
6
2C
Straight-line or raft (ikadabuki)
2d
 h
(ikada)
9
2D
Sinuous (netsunagari)
b
(netsuranari)
2e
 f
(netsuranari)
7
2E
III. MULTIPLE TRUNKS & GROUP PLANTINGS
3
 
 
3
Two-tree (soju)
3a
 
4
3a
Three-tree (sambon-yose)
Blight, p.258 ( nJ )
3b
 
 
3b
Five-tree (gohon-yose)
3c
 
 
3c
Seven-tree (nanahon-yose)
3d
 
 
3d
Nine-tree (kyuhon-yose)
3e
 
 
3e
Multiple-tree (yose-ue)
Blight, p.258
( nJ )
a
( nJ )
3f
 m
10
Group planting (yose-uye)
3f
Natural-group (yamayori)
3g
 
8
Sprouts from a fallen cone
3g
(yomayori or yomayose)
Clustered-group (tsukami-yose)
3h
 
 
3h
IV. NON-BONSAI GROUP PLANTINGS
4
 
 
4
Tray-landscape (bonkei)
Blight, p.258; Tsumura, p.14; Maumené, Fig.1
(bonkai)
4a
 
 
4a
Group planting (saikei)
 
 
14
 
Seasonal plantings
4b
 
 
4c
Plantings of herbs, grasses, and shrubs (kusamono or shitakusa)
6
grass bonsai
( nJ )
f
grasslike plants
4c
 
 
4b
V. SPECIAL CATEGORY
5
 
 
 
Miniature (mame)
4
or nutshell
e
5
 
 
 
Small-sized, 8 - 15 inches H (katate-mono or komono)
 
3
Carried in one hand
       
Medium-sized, 15 - 26 inches H
 
2
Held in two hands
       
Large-sized, 40 - 80 inches H
 
1A
       
Large, carried by 2 persons
 
1B
       
Large, carried by 3 persons
 
1C
       
Large, carried by 4 persons
 
1D
       
VI. SHAPES or OUTLINE (jukei)
 
 
15
 
Pyramidal or Conical 
(jikkei or jikka)
Bedford, p.916; Maumené, Fig.2
(jikki)
Very traditional pine tree (matsu-zukuri)
 
 
15a
 
Ball or Egg (tama-zukrui)
 
 
15c
 
Candle flame (rosoku-zukuri)
 
 
15d
 
Umbrella (kasa-zukuri)
 
 
15e
 
Exaggerated form of Matsu-Zukuri, often used for background of "Noh" plays (hosho-zukuri)
 
 
15f
 

 
NOTES

Blight, Robert "Among the Plants: Garden, Field and Forest," Current Literature, June 1900; Bedford, Cornelia E. "Elfin Trees," Harper's Bazar, Aug. 11, 1900; Tsumura, Toichi "Dwarf Trees," 1901; Maumené, Albert   Les Arbres nains japonais, 1902.

Nozaki, Shinobu  Dwarf Trees (Bonsai) ; 1940, pp. 7, 22, 24, 26, 27, 46, 49, Photo 80.

Yashiroda, Kan (ed.)  Handbook on Dwarfed Potted Trees ; 1953, revised 1959; pp. 2, 15, 32, 43, 67, 88.

Yoshimura, Yuji & Giovana M. Halford  The Art of Bonsai ; 1957, pp. 65-66, 111.

Koide, Nobukichi, Saburo Kato, & Fusazo Takeyama  The Masters' Book of Bonsai ; 1967 (Japanese), 1983 (English), pp. 46-52.

Naka, John Y.  Bonsai Techniques ; 1973, pp. 123-124.

Samson, Isabella & Rémy  The Creative Art of Bonsai ; 1986, revised 2000, pp. 12-13.


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