Text and photos: Morten Albek

The interview has been performed by Morten Albek, Torben Pedersen and Johnny Eslykke, June 2005.

Text and photos: Morten Albek

Traveling to Japan with two close friends of mine had not only the purpose of viewing beautiful bonsai, Japanese gardens i.e., because two of us had already done that more than once. Our main purpose with this travel was to meet with some of the great masters of bonsai, to talk bonsai, friendship and philosophy.

We had the happiness to make appointments with four of the important bonsai collectors and masters of today. In this first interview in a series of four, we meet with one of the great and world famous Japanese masters of bonsai, Saburo Kato.

At the age of 90 Saburo Kato was still active travelling around the world presenting the World Bonsai Friendship Federation, which Kato was one of the founders of in 1989.

As Kato’s father died in 1946, Saburo became the third generation owner of Mansei-en bonsai garden in Omiya outside Tokyo.

Before that, as the oldest son of bonsai master Tomekichi Kato, he also helped to clear the forest and build the later famous Omiya Bonsai Village. Saburo Kato and his father began in the 1930´s collecting Ezo Spruce, Picea glehnii, from Russia and successfully developed the techniques for establishment and cultivation as bonsai. The Ezo Spruce showed to reveal a not known story about Saburo Kato, which will be explained later in this exclusive interview with one of the biggest masters of Japanese bonsai after the Second World War.

Saburo Kato greets us in the shadow of the Japanese summer heat. Saburo Kato is the third generation of Mansei-en, the residence and bonsai garden of his family. Next generation is already in position to take over this famous garden of bonsai.

A big and very impressive Japanese white pine more than 400 years old is set up for display in the Tokonoma, and at another place a Shinpaku Juniper is placed.

Kato explains: “There are only few of this quality in Japan, so big and so old. The Shinpaku on display here are more than 300 years old. Shinpaku junipers come from the mountains in the Niigata prefecture in Japan, and this area is very famous for this kind of Juniperus.”

“Itoigawa Shinpaku is a kind of juniper that has very short needles. They grow on very steep mountain sides that are difficult to get to, and there is very little soil for the roots to grow in., Due to the natural slow growth caused by these conditions, the tree has developed short needles in order to survive, which is good for bonsai. Also caused by the slow growth, the Shari (deadwood) is very hard and compact. This makes the deadwood withstand rotting for a long time.”

Mr. Kato has postponed his vacation in order to be able to meet with us. He tells: “Tomorrow I will go to Kyushu in southern Japan, in order to relax in the hot spring in the mountain. Actually we had planned to go today, but I do feel we belong together and have a commonality because of bonsai. Therefore I have delayed my departure until tomorrow so we could meet here today.” A big gesture to us and typical of the spirit from this grand old man, who is liked and admired not only in the world of bonsai in Japan, but overall were he has set his foot.

We have moved away from the Tokonoma to some lower benches and tables in the training room. The kind and smiling wife of Kato serves delicate fresh fruit and hot tea, as it is common practise at a visit like this.

We ask Kato what made him start to work with bonsai.

“I was thirteen years old as I worked with bonsai for the first time. At that time our school system was organized so that one had to go to school until the age of twenty. Thereafter it was possible to access high school i.e. and my father very much wanted me to do so. But I didn’t want to and rejected that. I wanted to do bonsai and to make it my living.” 

Is your Mansei-en (the bonsai garden of Kato) secured for new generations to take over?

“Yes, and I am pleased that also my grandchild wants to work here after he has finished High School, and I am not able to work anymore. I am third generation, and he will be the fifth.”

We also ask Kato-san if he have any favourite species he likes to work with.

“Goyo Matsu (Picea) and the Japanese white pine is probably my favourites in companionship with the Shinpaku juniper, but also Keyaki (Zelkova) is one I fancy to work at” Saburo Kato explains, and he continuous: “Here in Japan there are unbelievable many Keyaki, Zelkova, as bonsai, because they are easy to develop from seed. Between all of the best Zelkova in Japan, one is present here” Kato says and is pointing towards a very beautiful specimen with leafs almost raining from its canopy.

It is time for a break because the heat is overwhelming and while Kato takes a rest, he is 92 years old, and we cool ourselves by the viewing of the beautiful bonsai surrounding us. As we take up the interview again, the talk heads towards the issue of how important bonsai has been in the life of Kato, beside the fact that it is how he earns his money.

“From childhood and up to now I have used every hour at bonsai. It has filled out my entire life, round the clock. So in some way, bonsai isn’t something special in my life, because it is my life. From the age of twenty I have been dreaming about exhibiting my own bonsai. But my work with bonsai hasn’t left any time to follow that dream. All my life I have been busy making bonsai for costumers. But now, after waiting more than seventy years it is time to make my own special exhibition. I hope to do so in a very near future.”

It is of course a surprise to hear that Saburo Kato, one of the top bonsai artists in Japan, newer have exhibited his own bonsai at any time. A story that truly shows how dedicated and disciplined this Japanese master works.

To explain his plans Kato takes us outside under the burning sun. He led us towards a area in the back of the outdoor sales area. Here bonsai planted on stones are placed on the ground. All are Ezo Spruce, Picea glehnii: “The exhibition will not be with traditional bonsai, but contains what one could call creative bonsai” Kato explains lively.

“For the first time in my life I will exhibit my own bonsai” Saburo Kato states. “Until now I have around forty bonsai ready for a creative display, but I need another twenty. The total number of trees for the exhibition needs to be around sixty or seventy bonsai. I am happy that I still find the energy to make bonsai, and find the strength for new ideas. It is bonsai that gives me the power to do so.”

As Kato tells his story, he shows us what he has in mind. In front of us a collection of both very large and smaller bonsai are gathered. “This is my private bonsai garden. These bonsai have been with me for seventy years now, and from the start I have been working on these trees. They are all collected at the island of Hokkaido in Northern Japan. From Hokkaido I travelled a journey of tree hours with ship to Russia. Twelve times I have taken this journey to the Russian coast to collect Goyo Matsu, Picea, at the Seacoast Mountains. Today it is not possible for anyone to collect in Russia, which also makes these trees very special. The big old tree in front of us is about 270 years old.”

“When I am tired”, Kato tells, “I sit down beside these trees, and I let my thoughts fly back fifty years, to Russia. At that time I was collecting Ezo Spruce in Russia with my father, and I recall these happy moments as I sit here. When I look at this landscape I feel both sad and happy at the same time, because of the many different memories that is recalled.”

“What you see here is 25 of the trees prepared for my first exhibition. The display shows the local Russian scenery where the trees are from. At the back the mountains are expressed, in the middle the forest is presented and at our feet’s the coast line with stones and forest stand is seen.”

“The way you see this displayed is the way it will be exhibited. That is to say, without traditional pots involved, but exactly as shown the trees are planted on rocks. All together I have created two hundred of these Ezo Spruce bonsai. Twenty of them I have given as a gift for the Emperor of Japan.”

“If people make bonsai they of course have to enjoy it. But there will also be much work and time without pleasure. If you work hard enough though, the reward will be so much more joy in the end. The joy of teaching bonsai also gives me a lot of joy in my life, and I regularly go to a old peoples house to educate.”

With these words in mind we leave Saburo Kato, inspired and full of respect for a man truly devoted to bonsai.