Chapter I. Discovery of Shimpaku



Today, the Shimpaku junipers growing in the wild in Japan face extinction. These junipers are only known to exist on Hokkaido and Yakeshima Islands, and extinction is said to be certain if very strong steps are not taken. The Shimpaku is a variation of Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis, or Ibuki or Byaku-shin in Japanese). Its Latin botanical name is Juniperus chinensis 'sargentii,' named after C.S. Sargent who identified it on Hokkaido in 1892. The Japanese botanical name of the Shimpaku juniper is Miyama-Byakushin. It belongs to the family CUPRESSACEAE which also includes the Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa). Categorized as a conditional limestone plant, it is also sometimes found in areas rich in the mineral peridot.

The tree on the right is called "Noble Satake's Shimpaku." It was such a rare specimen that, after it was collected, it was initially named "The Smoke of the Volcano." This name described realistically its powerful swirling trunk and and Shari. This was one of the best Shimpaku bonsai, but regrettably it died during the devastated period after World War II. Nowadays, because virtually all of the naturally-grown Shimpaku have been exhausted, it is impossible to find a Shimpaku with such character. So many famous trees have been lost, but at the same time many stories about Shimpaku have been born.

In "Bonsai Gahou (Magazine)" No. 5 (September 1907 issue), there is a discussion of the origin of Shimpaku bonsai. It says that in 1889 a bonsai lover, Rokurou Ohta, obtained a juniper bonsai that reminded its admirers of a famous painting of "Kanzankokai" (an old Japanese cypress in the winter mountain). The rumor spread among the traders that "this is the authentic (=shin), oak (=paku)." Thus, the juniper was named "Shinpaku." (Accounting for the conventions of Japanese word combination, it becomes "Shimpaku.") This word was not known in either the Chinese or Japanese language and so the name "Shimpaku" was conceived within the world of bonsai as a new variety of junipers.

Shimpaku junipers have been popular since the 1890s, but for some time they were appreciated as one of the Kinseijyu group like Rohdea Japonica (Omoto), or were considered too thick and too heavy in appearance. Even so, this juniper has had an extraordinary popularity since its very first appearance. Its popularity gave birth to enthusiastic collectors such as Tason Ohata, and from the beginning almost all the major bonsai lovers devoted themselves wholeheartedly to this juniper. Indeed, by 1900 the Shimpaku juniper became accepted as one of the classic species used in bonsai.

During the early years of its popularity, there was an extreme shortage of Shimpaku, particularly compared to the mainstream trees used for bonsai at that time, such as Japanese red pine (Akamatsu) , Japanese black pine (Kuromatsu) and Japanese cedar (Sugi). As a result, you could have boasted of having it whatever the quality. If the Shimpaku was really of high quality, it would cost you a fortune, and the exorbitant price resulting from the rarity of Shimpaku seemed to be its destiny. Many of the best Shimpaku inhabited only inaccessible cliff areas, and thus they were very difficult to collect. Behind the scenes of the brilliant popularity of Shimpaku bonsai, there were collectors risking their lives. Shimpaku, the fascinating tree, has a hidden history which will be revealed in this article.

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