Seiji Morimae visits the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum

We were recently honored by a visit from Seiji Morimae, a renowned figure in the world of bonsai and suiseki. Morimae holds special esteem at both the National Bonsai Foundation and the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in Washington, D.C., which he has supported for many years.

Curator Michael James welcomes Yaeko and Seiji Morimae to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum.

As a bonsai expert and board member of the Nippon Suiseki Association, he has made significant contributions to the preservation of Japanese bonsai culture. His deep connection with the museum, particularly as a donor and cultural ambassador, underscores his lasting impact.

Welcoming Seiji and his wife Yaeko for a tour of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, we honored his lifelong dedication to bonsai and suiseki while viewing the highlights of America’s renowned national collections. Dr. Richard Olsen, director of the U.S. National Arboretum – along with museum curator Michael James, and National Bonsai Foundation executive director Bobbie Alexander – were on hand to officially welcome the Morimaes. Jack Sustic, Chair Emeritus of the National Bonsai Foundation and Vice-Chair of the World Bonsai Friendship Federation, also joined the group in the welcome. Peter Warren, an international bonsai professional – one of the few who has completed a full six-year apprenticeship in Japan under legendary expert Kunio Kobayashi – accompanied the Morimaes and served as translator.

Among the highlights at the Museum is Morimae’s gift of a “hut stone” suiseki, displayed in the traditional tokonoma setting – a tribute to his commitment to preserving and sharing Japanese culture. He has also donated several first-class bonsai over the years. In the North American Pavilion, Michael discussed how American bonsai has evolved, inspired by influential leaders like Morimae. Dr. Olsen concluded with remarks on the museum’s role in advancing the art of bonsai in America, celebrating Morimae’s impact and support. The event ended with refreshments and reflections on his exceptional contributions to these timeless art forms.

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Morimae's journey into bonsai began more than 50 years ago with a dedication to the art of formal display, also known as keido. He has learned from and studied with revered bonsai artists, including Susumu Sudo, Jiro Fukuda, and Masahiko Kimura, who shaped his approach and artistry. His life has been deeply intertwined with the practice and philosophy behind these forms, and over the years, he has established multiple bonsai and suiseki businesses, including the prestigious Kyoto Bonsai Garden at the Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto, Japan.

His connection to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum has spanned many years, where he has donated both bonsai trees and suiseki stones, helping to enhance the museum’s nationally renowned collections. He has visited the United States numerous times over the past 20 years to share his expertise on the arts of bonsai and suiseki.

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In 2017, during the renovation and rededication of the museum’s Japanese Pavilion, Morimae delivered a speech expressing his gratitude for the museum’s role in preserving bonsai trees gifted to the United States. He shared that these living symbols of friendship between Japan and America are more than just plants—they are a carrier of our stories, a marker of our time, and a reminder of nature’s elegant resilience​.

“This is the magnificence of life,” Morimae said. “I believe that bonsai can teach us about our own lives.  Each of them tells its own humble story, woven of nature, human history, and time itself.”

Seiji Morimae’s presence at the museum is not just symbolic; it speaks to his deep sense of responsibility. As a figure of great respect in the bonsai community, he often plays the role of a "big brother," checking on the museum’s Japanese bonsai collection, much like the revered Saburo Kato before him. This support has helped the museum maintain a high standard of care and presentation, ensuring the continued vitality of its bonsai and suiseki displays.

Morimae’s dedication to bonsai has also been captured in various media, including the U.S. National Arboretum’s Bicentennial Bonsai film. His passion for bonsai and suiseki extends beyond physical preservation; it is about sharing a philosophy of life that bonsai can teach us—about resilience, growth, and the delicate balance between nature and humanity.

Seiji Morimae at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in 2024.

Chin Fun Kwok and his family honor the Museum with a special visit

Today, the National Bonsai Foundation and National Bonsai & Penjing Museum welcomed Chin Fun Kwok, along with his wife Florence and daughter Daphne, to celebrate his venerated legacy.

In attendance were Museum Curator Michael James and NBF executive director Bobbie Alexander, who presented Mr. Kwok with a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the NBF Board, honoring his dedication and significant contributions. James also presented a certificate on behalf of the U.S. National Arboretum, which has housed the Museum since its inception in 1976. Also joining the celebration were esteemed former NBF board members Chuck Croft and Joe Gutierrez, as well as Jack Rubenstein, an active bonsai community member and officer of the Northern Virginia Bonsai Society.

Together, we proudly honored Mr. Kwok for his remarkable dedication and countless contributions to bonsai and penjing. Over his 25-year tenure on the NBF Board, Kwok’s leadership, expertise, and love for the art form have left an indelible impact. His engineering insights were instrumental in the design and construction of the Museum’s Chinese Pavilion, which now houses the treasured penjing collection.

The Pavilion, brought to life by Chinese craftsmen, features traditional wooden gates, decorative tiles, a serene moon gate, garden stones, and an exquisite dragon wall. Each winter, it transforms into a walk-in cold frame to shelter temperate bonsai from harsh weather, a practical feature blended seamlessly into its elegant design. Above the towering red doors, golden Chinese characters welcome visitors, inscribed with a message that Mr. Kwok translated for us: "The Garden for the Study of Ornamental Horticulture." This message captures the Pavilion’s essence—a place of learning and appreciation of nature’s beauty.

The Kwok family’s legacy extends further through a special bonsai stand donated in Mr. Kwok’s honor, handcrafted by David Knittle, a distinguished bonsai display artisan whose work is celebrated in national exhibitions.

NBF and Museum staff are deeply grateful to Mr. Kwok for his generosity, vision, and dedication, which have enriched the Museum and inspired the bonsai community.

Local Ikebana Chapter Hosts Modified Annual Exhibition

An ikebana display titled “Resilience” by the Sogetsu school

Ikebana International Washington, D.C. Chapter No. 1 held its first outdoor exhibit at the U.S. National Arboretum this spring. 

Ikebana, or the Japanese art of flower arrangement, has been a complementary art to bonsai for decades. Chapter One has held an indoor exhibit at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum for more than 20 years, but this year’s exhibition needed a different venue due to the Museum’s temporary closure during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

While hundreds of schools dedicated to the art of ikebana exist, seven schools are represented in Chapter One. The group’s president and this year’s exhibition chair – Ursula Kondo and Jean Rieg, respectively – spoke with the National Bonsai Foundation.

A relative of her husband’s coworker first introduced Kondo to ikebana. While she has always loved flowers, Kondo was drawn to the asymmetrical design of Japanese arrangements, which are similar to the floral styles in her home country of Germany. Kondo originally joined the local Houston chapter of Ikebana International before moving and enlisting in the Washington, D.C. chapter. 

Rieg’s artistic roots are in teaching scrapbooking and cake decorating. She often took many trips to gardens around the United States and abroad due to her mother’s love of flowers. A friend introduced her to ikebana as another creative outlet, and Rieg started studying with Bruce Wilson, the lead of Chapter One’s Saga Goryu ikebana school. She also attended classes for three years at Saga Goryu Headquarters in Japan and will continue those trips once the pandemic ends

About one year after beginning classes, Rieg became the host coordinator of the annual exhibition, which led to her appointment as chair this past year. 

“Ikebana has become an important part of my life, and I find it an incredible artform,” she said. “A lot of people find great joy in seeing arrangements and understanding which schools they are derived from.” 

Rieg added that each group produced incredible pieces, especially considering that only one of the six schools that participated this year had ever worked on outdoor arrangements. 

Sogetsu team co-leader Marjorie Bauman (left) and member Catherine Macauley (right) work on an arrangement.

This year’s exhibition was both virtual and physical – two groups of 30 arrangements can be seen online, and 13 arrangements were available for viewing at the U.S. National Arboretum but are now online as well.

“We make sure to have arrangements from every school in our chapter so people can see the difference between the arrangements and styles,” Rieg said. 

The artists received basic directions on display details, like permitted dimensions, but the concept of each piece was largely left to individual inspiration. Most of the teams crafted arrangements to celebrate the anticipated end to the COVID-19 pandemic, titling their pieces with terms like “awakening” or “reawakening.”

Rieg said planning for this hybrid exhibition began in the fall of 2020. She saw a video exhibition that an ikebana chapter in San Francisco produced and thought a variation on that idea would work well for Chapter One. Rieg tested the concept with the chapter in a December Area Workshop with holiday arrangements. Teachers approved the students’ arrangements.

“We were worried how the public would react to the outdoor arrangements, but the exhibit was very well received, everyone was in awe of the arrangements,” Kondo said. 

“Breaking Out of the Pandemic” – Sangetsu school “Reawakened” – Ichiyo school

For the outdoor arrangements, the creators had to consider elements present in the natural environment when designing their prototypes and choosing their materials. Each display featured a QR code that viewers could scan with their phones to learn more about the ikebana schools, the materials used in the arrangements and general information on the art form.

“The Ichiyo school used a lot of bamboo stakes for their arrangement,” Kondo said. “The creators made notches in the bamboo and wired them together so it didn’t fall apart in the wind.”

While the design process took a couple of months, each exhibit was completely assembled on the Arboretum grounds in just one day. Rieg said the teachers conceived the original designs, but both students and teachers executed the projects. Each team comprised three-to-five students and could work in a designated 8-foot by 5-foot area.  

“We tried to position the arrangements so each could have its day in the light, and it was worth it because the whole exhibition was so well-received by visitors,” Kondo said. “Everyone was impressed with the exhibition and delighted with the opportunity to view it at the Arboretum.”

Rieg said Chapter One wanted the exhibition to demonstrate the period of transition the world is in as it slowly emerges from lockdowns and restrictions instated for safety during the pandemic. 

“We wanted it to be a reawakening and spark interest in viewers,” she said. “Every good effort has a good outcome. We succeeded because of the artistry and skill within the chapter and the great support we got from the Arboretum, so everything worked out very well.”

You can learn more about Ikebana International Chapter One on their website and follow them on Facebook.

The Ikenobo team (L to R: Valeria Shishkin, Reiko Royston & Team Lead Kyoko Peterson) next to their arrangement “Manifestation of Life and Beauty”

The National Bonsai Foundation Announces Retirement of Dr. Johann F Klodzen

Dr. Klodzen to step down after nearly 20 years as Executive Director

Johann Klodzen at the U.S. National Arboretum (2020)

As of February 1st, 2020, Johann Klodzen will step down from her role as Executive Director of The National Bonsai Foundation (“NBF”). All of NBF’s officers and members of its Board of Directors are sincerely grateful to Johann for her nearly 20 years of service guiding NBF’s work in support of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum (the “USNA”).

During her tenure at NBF, Johann collaborated closely with several Directors of the USNA, most recently Dr. Richard Olsen; supervised NBF’s involvement in numerous projects at the Museum, including the complete rebuilding of The Japanese Pavilion and most recently the development of a master plan for the future renovation of the rest of the Museum; oversaw NBF’s efforts to give NBF and the Museum a significant online presence; oversaw the inauguration and publication of NBF’s Annual Report in 2016, which received several awards for design; and worked tirelessly to give the Museum an increased recognition in the United States and across the world of bonsai enthusiasts. Her passion for and knowledge of the artform was infectious to all of those who had the privilege to work alongside her. Though she is leaving the position, we know Johann will continue to be a part of our bonsai family.

While we conduct a search for a new Executive Director, we are delighted to announce that Bobbie Alexander will step into the role as Interim Director of Administration. Bobbie has served as Chief of Staff and Managing Director of Governance for the American Diabetes Association, as a Senior Administrative Consultant for The Food Allergy Research & Education Association and most recently as Chief of Staff and Operations for the National Health Council. We are confident that during this transition period, we are in very good hands.

Though we begin 2020 on a note of bidding farewell to our esteemed colleague, there is much to look forward to in the new decade ahead. Our next Executive Director will be tasked with the exciting planned renovations of the Museum, overseeing NBF’s efforts to make that project a reality, thereby ensuring the continuation of NBF’s mission of preserving a history, protecting a legacy, and preparing a future.