The Bonsai Art Of Japan

Tray planting pronounced is a japanese art form which utilizes cultivation techniques to produce in containers small trees that mimic the shape and scale of full size trees.

The bonsai art of japan. The art of bonsai as we know it traces back almost 2000 yrs. Watering feeding bonsai trees duration. Trees grown in pots date back to egyptian times about 4 000 years ago when they grew trees in pots cut from rocks. The word bonsai is made up of 2 japanese characters or word phrases bon sai bon is the pot tray or container the sai is the tree or potted planting.

The word bonsai equally applies to indoor and outdoor plants. Similar practices exist in other cultures including the chinese tradition of penzai or penjing from which the art originated and the miniature living landscapes of vietnamese hòn. The japanese art of bonsai and its precursor the chinese art of penjing are rooted in the traditions of asian culture. Its two kanji bon 盆 meaning basin or tray and sai 裁 meaning planting literally translate to planted in a basin or container.

The art of bonsai as developed in america is much freer in concept and style than japanese bonsai. Bonsai 盆栽 is a beautiful art form in japan that aims to blend horticultural skills with japanese aesthetics. The art of bonsai has a long history prior to it being associated with japan. Records indicate that most ancient civilizations had their own variety of potted trees.