THE BONSAI STYLES

Introduction to Bonsai Making

Bonsai is an ancient art form that has been passed down for thousands of years. One of the defining characteristics of a bonsai tree is its form, which is shaped by the number, shape, and main features of its trunk.

“Classic and Less Known Styles of Bonsai Trees”

In this guide, we explore both classic and lesser-known styles of bonsai trees. We provide an overview of the bonsai art form and provide insights into the unique styles that make bonsai trees so special.

CHOKKAN – FORMAL UPRIGHT

The Chokkan style is characterized by a straight lines trunk where the nebari is aligned with the only apex of the tree. The first two branches, placed opposite from each other are usually welcoming the viewer leaning slightly forward.

HOKIDACHI – BROOM

The Hokidachi style consists in a bonsai with a straight trunk that from the same height shoots all the branches that form the canopy. It is called also Broom style because of its shape.

MOYOGI – INFORMAL UPRIGHT

The Moyogi style occurs when the trunk is enriched by sinuous curves, with the branches starting from the outer side of them. The first bend of the trunkline shouldn’t be moving towards the front, once again to welcome the viewer.

SHAKAN – SLANTED

The Shakan style is characterized by a trunk developing in oblique, positioning the apex and the nebari of the tree not on the same axis. Due to the position of growth the roots are more developed on the side opposite of the direction of the tree, this to allow more stability.

KENGAI – CASCADE

The Kengai style resembles the condition of a tree growing on the side of a mountain or a rock, where the trunk direction follows the anchoring point downwards creating a cascade look. When position in a pot, to complete the cascade form, the last pad must be position under the lower edge of the container.

HAN-KENGAI – SEMI CASCADE

The Han-Kengai style is very similar to the cascade one, where the tree for various factors is forced to developed downwards. The only exception is that the tree last pad doesn’t exceed the length of the container, developing growth mostly between the rim and the bottom of the pot, with the apex above.

TAKAN-KENGAI – MULTI TRUNK CASCADE

In this case, this special version of the Kengai Style the bonsai will present more trunks positioned in a cascade formation.

bunjingi

BUNJINGI – LITERATI

One of the most poetic and sinuous bonsai styles, the literati occurs in nature in area where due to different conditions the tree is forced to grow upwards, developing a canopy higher up, sacrificing all the lower branches non hit by the sun. To give an elegant look, most of the time the trunk of those trees are moving in a crooked way, with Jin and Shari running through it to showcase age.

fukinagashi style

FUKINAGASHI – WINDSWEPT

As the name says the Fukinagashi style is characterized by a shape determined by strong winds blowing all the branches towards one single direction. Sometimes, to dramatize even more the composition, the branches on the side opposite to the movement direction will get eliminated.

neagari

NEAGARI – EXPOSED ROOTS

In nature Neagari style trees are usually created when the soil gets washed away slowly, exposing the roots more and more. This could occur when the tree is on the side of a source of water or on an edge.
In bonsai, this style gets created lifting the tree higher and higher after every repotting, slowly exposing the rootball.

SEKIJOJU

SEKIJOJU – ROOT OVER ROCK

A really dramatic style, where the composition is incorporated with a rock which is tangled in the rootball of the tree, taking part in the nebari formation. In this case the fine roots of the bonsai will be feeding from the soil positioned inside the container, under the rock.

BONSAIGERS_BONSAI_STYLE_PRINT

THE BONSAIGERS’ BONSAI STYLES PRINT 2

Would you like to showcase your love for this craft in your home or workshop? Here’s the chance for you to get a print with 14 of the styles illustrated in this guide. Drawn by hand and digitalized by our artist. Limited amount of copies available now on our online store at the link below!

THE BONSAIGERS’ BONSAI STYLES PRINT 2

Would you like to showcase your love for this craft in your home or workshop? Here’s the chance for you to get a print with 14 of the styles illustrated in this guide. Drawn by hand and digitalized by our artist. Limited amount of copies available now on our online store at the link below!

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ISHIZUKE

ISHIZUKE – CLINGING TO A ROCK

This is the case of a tree growing inside the crack and holes of a rock, using it as a container. The tree will then grow escaping the so created pot defining its own shape or in other cases will follow the stone’s silhouette, showing a closer relationship to it.

NETSUNAGARI

NETSUNAGARI – RAFT

The Raft style replicates the image of a fallen tree with part of its roots attached to the ground that still continue is growth. Usually in this case the branches of it continue growing as different trunks, chasing the sunlight moving upwards. Sometimes the parts of the trunk that are in contact with the humidity propagated by the soil will develop roots. The effect created this way once in a container, is of a forest like composition, developed on the length of the trunk.

IKADABUKI

IKADABUKI – STRAIGHT-LINE RAFT

In Straight-Line Raft the tree that topples on the ground has a straight trunk. Thanks to it just the branches starting from one side of the tree will be able to grow upwards, placing all the future trunks of the composition on a straight line, on one side of the tree.

YOSE-UE_FOREST_BONSAI

YOSE-UE – BONSAI FOREST

A forest style bonsai is one of the best way to replicate images suggested by nature itself. With it we don’t have just the chance to reproduce one single tree, but its entire habitat.
A forest like composition is created grouping a bigger amount of trees, most of the time of the same species, in different sizes (height and thickness), to create a various environment and to favorite prospective. The trees are usually in odd numbers, with a taller leading tree that is creating the apex of the composition, and smaller trees surrounding it. Smaller trees are placed in the back to give a sensation of deepness.
The pot chosen for this style are really shallow, to emphasize the trees height.

TWIN_TRUNK_BONSAI

SOKAN – TWIN TRUNK

In this style two trunks are generated by the same sets of roots. The base of the trunk usually grow from the same point right above the nebari. From the front side of the bonsai composition you must be able to see them both clearly, as this will be the main feature of the tree. The branches must grow from the external sides of the two trunks and backward but it is better to avoid growth in between of them.

SANKAN_TRIPLE_TRUNK_BONSAI

SANKAN – TRIPLE TRUNK

As the name suggest this style occurs when a tree that generates from a single set of roots developed three trunks. One of them will be the leader of the composition (being the tallest and the thickest) giving a direction to the all composition. Usually to give a natural look to the composition the trunks are placed so no straight line will cross them all at once, to avoid symmetry.

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GOKAN, NANAKAN, KYUKAN – MULTI TRUNK (5,7,9)

In the same way as the three trunk style, with the multi trunk style we will have a tree with an odd number of trunks (5,7,9) generating from a single root system. This time, due to the higher number of trunks, we are allowed to select more than just one leading trunk dictating the direction of the tree.

TURTLE_STUMP_STYLE_BONSAI

KORABUKI – TURTLE/STUMP

Turtle style, an unusual way of classifying a bonsai. A Korabuki bonsai occurs when the Nebari of the tree is so prominent and thick to resemble the shell of a turtle.

CANDLE_FLAME_BONSAI

ROSOKUNOHONO – CANDLE FLAME STYLE

This style is really common creating bonsai of Ginkgo Biloba due to the fact that this species often doesn’t respond with bifurcation after pruning. This style is characterized by the presence of a short main trunk where lots of vertical shoots appear creating the typical candle flame shape.

OCTOPUS_BONSAI_STYLE

TAKOZUKURI – OCTOPUS

Another uncommon style, the Octopus Style, occurs when long thick branches starts from a short main trunk, giving to the tree its typical look once the leaves fall down in the colder months.

WEEPING_STYLE_BONSAI

SHIDARE – WEEPING

As the name suggest the Weeping style is characterized by a canopy that is created giving a hanging look to its branches. Willow trees, Wisterias and Birches are some of the trees that are used for this style.

TWISTED_TRUNK_BONSAI

NEJIKAN – TWISTED TRUNK

This style occurs, as the name suggests, when a tree has a trunk that twists on itself.

SPLITTED_TRUNK_BONSAI

SABAMIKI – SPLITTED TRUNK

This style resembles a tree that has been going through a really damaging event, that creates a scar that divides the trunk in two parts. The damage could appear depending on the species, as deadwood or hollow trunks, manifesting just on a little part of the trunk or all the way, from the top to the nebari.

SHARIMIKI_DRIFTWOOD_SHARI_BONSAI

SHARIMIKI – DRIFTWOOD

This style is characterized by large parts of the trunk being bare of bark. In nature this occurs when the tree is affected by diseases, by age or simply by dramatic physical events that will kill parts of it. A living vein nonetheless needs to keep the tree alive, moving energies from the root system to the canopy of the tree. This style is more common on conifers, where the hardness of the wood allows the creation of Shari that with the right care will last for a really long time.

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