Albek Bonsai

 

Articles

 

 

 

the size of a shohin-bonsai

Text: Morten Albek, photo: Higuchi Takeshi

 

 

 

A Shohin-bonsai is appreciated to be no more than 20 cm / 8 inches high.

The shown Acer palmatum, Japanese maple, is 16 cm / 6,3 inches heigh.

 

 

Shohin-bonsai are 20 cm / 8 inches and under. (Most important is that the Shohin fits with the size of the rack. 20 cm is the ideal height, but trees measuring up to 23 cm is also often seen).

 

Mame Bonsai or bean-size bonsai is less than 10 centimetres / 4 inches in height. (Also the with must not extend 10 cm / 4 inches).

 

Kifu, 21-35cm / 8,3 - 13,8 inches are medium to small sized bonsai, often exhibited at Shohin exhibitions. 

 

Occasionally on exhibitions, also larger trees are exhibited. The group of bonsai categorized as Chuhin measures from 30 cm / 12 inches to 60 cm / 23 inches.

 

In Japan a registered collection of very high quality Shohin-bonsai is present at the All Japan Shohin-Bonsai Association. Excellent Shohin-Bonsai and pots are registered at Gafuten Yuga Collection, and in this case the more or less limited sizes are less important.

 

Basic guidelines of size qualification

It is to mention that the sizes described here are general and basic guidelines, because there are no official and exact classifications regarding sizes. In the case of exhibitions it is the judges and/or exhibition organisers alone who select the standards.

 

 

 

 

 

Mame-bonsai display