Introducing overseas reactions! Bonsai popular with foreigners (BONSAI)

Although I often hear the word "bonsai", which is surprisingly few Japanese people say "I do it myself", do you know that it is very popular overseas and the meaning is valid as "BONSAI"?

Here, we will introduce the reasons why such bonsai became popular, its origins, and overseas reactions to bonsai.

Bonsai (BONSAI) is becoming more popular overseas

"Bonsai" is called "BONSAI", and I will explain how it became popular overseas.

What made you so popular?

Japanese bonsai has been gradually gaining popularity overseas since World War II, but it is said that the Japan World Exposition held in 1970 was a major catalyst for its popularity. ..

The Japanese garden set up at the Japan Expo attracted many foreigners, and the bonsai that expressed nature in one pot attracted a lot of attention.

In particular, it was highly praised as a work of art that could not be completed even with various techniques, such as cutting out a landscape of a large tree that can usually be seen only on the ground and expressing it on a pot. is.

Currently, bonsai is in Japanese, which is also known as "BONSAI" overseas, and bonsai exhibitions are being held energetically. According to the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the export value of planting and bonsai exceeded 8 billion in 2016, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is aiming to expand exports to 15 billion by 2020.

What is the origin of bonsai?

The current bonsai (BONSAI) is in Japanese, but its original origin is in China. The Chinese word "bonsai" is read as "penzai" and simply means potted plants, but it is said that around 700 AD, "Pun-Sai" was invented to grow small plants in pots.

It is said that bonsai was introduced to Japan around the Kamakura period when other Chinese cultures were actively adopted, and it was refined by craftsmen during the Edo period and is now a culture unique to Japan. It has become established as.

It is common in other cultures and arts that the culture transmitted from China changes to something unique to Japan over a long period of time, but bonsai is one of the arts dealing with such nature. You can say that.

Bonsai is a traditional Japanese culture, but at one point it was positioned as "only for the elderly" and "a maniac hobby," but it has been re-established in Japan as it has been highly evaluated by the world. It seems that they tend to be evaluated.

[If you read the article, may you know the meaning of this KARUTA? ]

A sacred place for bonsai! Overseas fans gather at the World Bonsai Tournament! ??

The "World Bonsai Tournament", which is held once every four years, is also popular among bonsai fans. Starting with the first event held in Saitama Prefecture, it has been held all over the world, including the United States, South Korea, Germany, and Puerto Rico.

The most recent tournament was 2017, and the second tournament was held in Saitama City for the first time in 28 years, and bonsai of 100 million yen was exhibited, which made bonsai fans all over the world enthusiastic.

The next event is scheduled to be held in Australia in 2021, and from now on, hot eyes are being paid to both domestically and internationally.

The video of bonsai (BONSAI) is also popular! Overseas reaction

For bonsai that is popular overseas, you can find many videos on youtube by searching for "BONSAI". Here, let's introduce the reactions from overseas gathered in the "Video of how to make bonsai".

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1FDfwyjkrs)

The youtube video titled "How to Make Bonsai" explains how to make bonsai in full English, and as of February 2020, it has been viewed 6.3 million times.

In the Japanese garden, the procedure for making a bonsai by putting a tree purchased from a bonsai garden etc. into a potted plant by yourself, pruning the branches, designing method, etc. is explained in an easy-to-understand manner. Was gathered.

Thanks for the hint! I became more and more fond of bonsai (Brazil)

I like it! I will try it next time (Turkey)

Simple and beautiful and wonderful (Spain)

It's a very kind and easy-to-understand video for bonsai beginners (Philippines)

It's a very good video, so please keep updating it! (India)

The tips and details are easy to understand, so I'll share it with everyone. I think my gardening skills will improve (Morocco)

It's easy to understand and interesting. Thank you for uploading! (Russia)

People from many countries comment on the bonsai video, so you can see how much attention is being paid to it.

[Do you care about Japan? Would you like to learn Japanese together? ]

Summary

Japanese bonsai was introduced from China for a long time and is now a culture unique to Japan, but since it was shown to people all over the world at the Japan World Exposition, it has increased the number of bonsai fans overseas. It was. The "World Bonsai Tournament" held in various countries around the world once every four years attracted attention, and videos explaining how to make bonsai in English received many views and comments were received from many countries. Even now, its popularity has not declined.

If you are a Japanese, you may want to reconfirm the appeal of bonsai, which has become so pervasive that "BONSAI" has become a universal language.

This article is a partial re-edit of the article published in Nihongo Biyori by KARUTA.
Unauthorized reproduction or use of the contents, text, images, illustrations, etc. of this site is strictly prohibited.