Applications Open: National Bonsai Apprenticeship

Description

The U.S National Arboretum is offering a unique opportunity for an individual to receive advanced bonsai training at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum located in Washington DC. The purpose of this national apprenticeship program is to prepare aspiring horticulturists with the knowledge needed for a career in bonsai collection management. The successful applicant will be involved in the day-to-day care of a storied collection of historic bonsai, some of them in training for hundreds of years; and will receive one-on-one instruction from bonsai museum staff to develop skill in the styling and maintenance of bonsai.

This training opportunity is typically from March through mid-November each year. The position has a 40-hour work week of five days per week and does require weekend work. This apprenticeship is funded with a stipend by the National Bonsai Foundation*. Stipend amount can vary depending on the training period and funding.

This apprenticeship provides the applicant access to one of the largest bonsai collections in the United States, bonsai literature and scholarship, as well as access to a network of professional bonsai practitioners from around the world. Many of our past apprentices are now curating bonsai collections in private and public gardens.

Qualifications
Applicants should have an active interest in the art of bonsai and a basic understanding of plant care. While coursework is not required, candidates that demonstrate commitment to the art of bonsai are desired. Background in horticulture, life sciences, or visual art is a plus.

Duties
The bonsai apprenticeship will prepare individuals for bonsai collection management. As the applicant’s knowledge and abilities develop, and skills are learned and demonstrated, supervised work on the bonsai will be offered. These responsibilities will include seasonal bonsai care such as, repotting, pruning, wiring, de-wiring, and other maintenance as needed throughout the year. The apprentice will assist with educational programs offered to the public by helping to teach classes and bonsai demonstrations.
As an integral part of the U.S. National Arboretum, the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum serves over 700,000 visitors each year. Courteous and helpful interaction with visitors is essential. Daily tasks related to museum operations include keeping gardens and bonsai displays clean, opening and closing the museum, weeding, and watering. The applicant will frequently be requested to safely lift and move heavy, but fragile, trees around the museum. Much of the work is performed outdoors in all weather conditions,
including hot, cold, and wet.

The selected apprentice will join other U.S. National Arboretum staff and interns on field trips to public gardens in the Washington, D.C. area. The apprentice will be assigned an independent study project related to bonsai design, developed in collaboration with the Museum Curator. The results of the study project will be presented to staff of the U.S. National Arboretum and the National Bonsai Foundation.

Applications

Applications will be accepted August 12 through September 16 each year. Interviews will be scheduled thereafter with the final candidate selected by the end of October. Please email a cover letter including your personal background in bonsai and your long-term career plan to USNA.Internships@usda.gov. Describe pertinent talents and life experiences that you bring to this position. Also include your resume, references, and transcripts (unofficial are acceptable). If you have any questions, please call the National
Arboretum’s Coordinator at 202-245-4529.

In Memoriam: Larry Ragle

We recognize and celebrate the life of Lawrence “Larry” Ragle, a beloved figure in the bonsai and suiseki communities, who recently left us peacefully at home in Laguna Beach, CA at the age of 91, with his loving wife Nina by his side.

Larry joined the National Bonsai Foundation (NBF) to contribute to the mission of elevating and expanding the value of bonsai on a global scale. As one of the original board members when the organization was founded, Larry was deeply involved in the bonsai community, with constant partnership and support from Nina. His directorship was an important step to honor his teachers, bonsai legends John Naka and Harry Hirao.

While founding NBF and helping grow the organization, Larry also supported the early development and expansion of the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum in Washington, DC. He played a pivotal role in planning events that honored bonsai masters like Naka, Hirao, and George Yamaguchi.

“It has been a delight to see the Museum become a reality and watch all the improvements with so many dedicated volunteers,” Larry once said. “It was an honor to have played a small part, along with the rest of the bonsai community and beyond, to help make NBF the quality organization it has become.”

Nina and Larry Ragle.
Photo credit: usnationalbonsai.com

In June 2023, the Ragle family generously donated a commemorative bench in Larry’s honor, which now sits in the courtyard of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum.

Felix Laughlin, Chair Emeritus of the National Bonsai Foundation, shared: "I have so many memories of Larry, and Nina as well who was always by his side. We usually chatted via email given their location in California, but they were very active members of the NBF board of directors and came to Washington frequently for meetings at the US National Arboretum. I fondly recall having breakfast meetings with Larry and Nina during their DC visits, in which they filled me in on everything going on in the West Coast bonsai world, and told me about their adventures collecting viewing stones. They were close to bonsai luminary and founding NBF board member Marybel Balendonck, and the three of them were strong and effective advocates for the creation of the John Y. Naka North American Pavilion. The bonsai and viewing stone communities will certainly miss Larry, and he left a lasting legacy in both art forms."

Larry at the 2018 Japan Suiseki Exhibition with his Buffalo stone.
Photo credit: samedge.wordpress.com

Born in Springfield, Missouri in 1932, Larry's family moved to Albany, CA in 1940. He graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a degree in chemistry and served as a Patrol/Investigator for the City of Berkeley. In 1956, he married Carole Watchers, and they relocated to Costa Mesa, California in 1960, where Larry pursued a career at the Orange County Crime Lab.

It was during this time that he developed a passion for the art of bonsai. He started training his first three bonsai in 1962 – trees that are still alive today and represent vibrant examples of the art form.

Larry married Nina Shire in 1981, and in 1989, he retired as the Director of Forensic Sciences, Orange County Sheriff-Coroner, later writing the book "Crime Scene" in 1995. It was his first book, but not his last. Later, he authored two additional texts on bonsai and suiseki (viewing stones).

Larry deepened his study of bonsai under his sensei and the father of American bonsai, John Naka, in 1966, and later with bonsai master Harry Hirao in 1974. With Harry, he co-founded Kofu Bonsai Kai in 1977. Larry served as president of the Golden State Bonsai Federation, California Bonsai Society, and Kofu Bonsai Kai. Larry, along with others, established the California Shohin Society in 1989. He held memberships in several bonsai organizations, including Nan Pu Bonsai Kai, John Naka’s select club. Along the way, Larry took iconic photographs of many major bonsai figures, especially of Naka and Hirao.

Harry Hirao and Larry Ragle, longtime friends and co-founders of Kofu Kai.
Photo credit: bonsaial.wordpress.com

Larry was an original board member of the National Bonsai Foundation when it was founded in Washington, D.C., and served on its Board of Directors from 1982 until 2020. Jim Hughes, a Chair Emeritus of NBF and former Museum Curator, reflected, "Larry helped establish and maintain a West Coast connection to the National Bonsai Museum and National Bonsai Foundation, ensuring the national scope of both entities."

Larry dedicated himself to promoting the art of bonsai and suiseki on a local, national, and global scale. Together, Larry and Nina founded California Aiseki Kai in 1983, a club focused on suiseki and the traditional values and techniques of Japanese viewing stones. They organized and led many collecting trips for the club in California and surrounding desert areas. Larry and Nina also studied bonsai display with Susumu Sudo in Japan and have displayed some of their masterpiece stones in the Nippon Suiseki Exhibition in Tokyo, Japan. Larry was also chairman of the Golden State Bonsai Federation, which established the collection at the Huntington Library and Gardens in Pasadena.

One of Larry’s suiseki.
Photo credit: bonsainut.com

In 2002, Larry authored text for Awakening the Soul, a book about the national viewing stone collection at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum. In a review, Dr. Thomas Elias of the Viewing Stone Association of North America rates the book as “excellent,” and says, “This volume is as pertinent today as it was twenty years ago when it was first published. This book beautifully illustrates and identifies the best examples from this modest but important collection. This is a book to study and learn how to appreciate a great viewing stone.”

Jack Sustic, Chair Emeritus of NBF and former Curator of the museum, reflected, "I've been thinking a lot about Larry, and so much has been said about him and his work for NBF and the art of bonsai. We know his contributions well, such as being a driving force in establishing the viewing stone collection and the Harry Hirao reception room. Personally, he was always kind and friendly, a true gentleman who truly possessed the spirit of bonsai, bonsai-no-kokoro."

Larry was clever, creative, charismatic, and humble. He will be remembered for his charm and wit, perfect timing, and keen skill for public speaking. His legacy in the bonsai community and beyond will be cherished and remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

In Memoriam: Warren Hill

Warren Hill at his one-man show at East Tennessee State University in the late 1990s. Trees (from left to right): American Hornbeam, Bald Cypress and Ginkgo Biloba, also known as Chi Chi Ginkgo.

Warren Hill, a renowned figure in the art of bonsai, recently passed away at his home in Tennessee at the age of 85. His life story is one of passion for bonsai, dedication to his family, and a love for nature.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1938, Warren was industrious from a young age. At six, he would shine shoes for soldiers and sailors at the U.S. Navy Yard, and at 16, he painted Walt Disney’s apartment at Disneyland prior to the park’s opening. While Warren was painting, Mr. Disney walked in and surprised him. They started a conversation, and Mr. Disney thanked him for doing a good job.

Following high school, Warren served as a radar technician in the U.S. Air Force. After military service, he pursued a career as an electrical engineer with Westinghouse and later Edison International. Meanwhile, he developed a passion for photography, and throughout his life he would often capture landscapes with family and friends.

Warren served as the curator of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum from 1996 to 2001. He had a deep interest in Japanese culture that developed from an early fascination with the natural world, which he inherited from his parents. His Finnish father and Swedish mother, who had a talent for gardening, instilled in him a love for flora and fauna. This background, along with his college studies in engineering and horticulture, laid the foundation for lifelong bonsai endeavors.

Left: Warren works on a black pine of Jack Fried, a former president of the Midwest Bonsai Society. Right: Warren helps a student at a bonsai workshop work on their Shimpaku Juniper. He traveled around the world to style trees at student workshops. 

A transformative moment happened in his twenties, when Warren walked into an exhibition hosted by the California Bonsai Society in 1960. Although bonsai was not part of his upbringing or education, the exhibition immediately captivated him. “I didn’t know what I was looking at, but I knew it was magnificent,” he said. “I had to learn more about these little trees.” This chance encounter marked the beginning of a lifelong journey that would intertwine his personal and professional paths with the art of bonsai.

His passion quickly evolved from an interest to a vocation. By 1974, he was teaching bonsai, offering lectures, demonstrations, and workshops. He immersed himself in the art and philosophy, studying with masters like Saburo Kato, John Naka, and Frank Nagata. Warren later returned to Moorpark College to study agriculture, and by 1974, he was teaching bonsai through lectures, demonstrations, and workshops. He found striking similarities between his Scandinavian heritage and Japanese culture, especially in their reverence for art and nature.

Left: One of Warren Hill’s Satsuki Azalea in Informal upright-bunjin, propagated by cutting.

Right: One of his trident maples in the yose-ue style, propagated by seed.

In 1996, Warren was appointed Curator for the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. “It was an honor to even be asked to be interviewed for the job,” Warren said. “It was a rich position, and I really enjoyed it.” His tenure was marked by fostering relationships with volunteers and nurturing the Museum’s bonsai collections.

Jack Sustic, another former Curator, served as Warren’s assistant. “He was always a teacher and a wealth of knowledge, and I still carry his teachings with me,” he said. “Those teachings helped improve my own bonsai artistry, for which I will always be grateful.”

Warren used his own drawings of different bonsai styles to show students an idea of what the style looks like. This is Chokkan, which has a formal upright trunk. The majestic appearance represents a large, tall tree standing in the mountains or on a vast low-land plain. Usually the tree's outline is in a pyramidal form.

In his position as curator, Warren most appreciated the opportunity to meet and work with the Museum volunteers who help care for the masterpiece collections of bonsai.

“All those nice people loved the art as I did,” he said. “You meet so many talented people like them, and masters like Kato and Naka, who were all special and of exceptional quality. When you know the background of people like them and know how gifted they are, you’re kind of in awe when you’re around them.”

Warren at the California State Convention, holding a workshop for students in Anaheim, California. They are working with olive trees. 

Warren’s personal life also flourished during this time. In 1998, he met Sharon Jeffers Hackett at a Rotary Club meeting in Greeneville, Tennessee. They married in 2000, and after his retirement in 2001, they moved back to Tennessee and established Tree-Haven, a bonsai school that attracted students worldwide. Warren loved teaching, saying, “I like watching the students’ eyes light up when you tell them the answer to a question.”

In recognition of his contributions, the Golden State Bonsai Federation awarded Warren the Circle of Sensei Award in 2013. Throughout his life, he believed that a deep love and passion for nature were essential for success in bonsai. Beyond his teaching, Warren authored numerous articles on bonsai and horticulture, ensuring that his legacy would inspire future generations. He leaves behind a rich heritage of bonsai artistry and a community of students and admirers who continue to honor his work.

Warren is survived by his wife Sharon, daughters Dawn and Lisa, grandchildren, step-children, and other family members. His life and work remain a testament to the spirit and philosophy of bonsai, continuing to inspire students and practitioners of the art form.

More on Warren:

Obituary, June 10, 2024

NBF Museum Curators Blog, March 30, 2021

Welcome Isiah White, 2024 National Bonsai Apprentice!

Isiah White, 2024 National Bonsai Apprentice

We are pleased to introduce the 2024 National Bonsai Apprentice, Isiah White! He joins us as we send our best wishes to the 2023 Apprentice, Angelica Ramirez, who is now serving as the Bonsai Assistant at the Chicago Botanic Gardens.

Isiah comes to the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum after four years of learning at Superfly Bonsai, a local bonsai supplier in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, the business had to close, but there was a silver lining: Isiah had the opportunity to apply for the nation’s premiere bonsai apprenticeship, which is funded by the National Bonsai Foundation.

The purpose of the National Bonsai Apprenticeship is to train a new generation of American bonsai artists to ensure the future of the art of bonsai. Each Apprentice in the renowned program receives immersive education with expert curators and caretakers, hands-on experience with America’s national bonsai and penjing collections, and daily opportunities to hone horticultural and artistic talents.

Isiah brings five years of experience to the role. He has grown and maintained a wide variety of live tree stock, managed collections and nurseries, and nurtured hundreds of specimens professionally and personally. “The feeling of seeing plants successfully grow brings me a lot of excitement and joy,” he said.

Studying with renowned bonsai artists has helped to further hone his craft. He has learned from experts such as Chuck Harris, Chase Rosade, and Hugo Zamora. Every artist has a unique approach to this fascinating medium, and which has influenced his philosophy and deepened his understanding of the art form.

Isiah’s bonsai journey began in earnest in 2017, but his interest in art started much earlier.

“I grew up as an artist,” he said. “I was drawing flowers before I knew how to speak properly.” He struggled with learning early in life, but found a creative outlet at the age of 5 when his father gave him his first art set. He continued to draw throughout his school years and attended the Capital Area School of the Arts in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He went on to study biology at Harrisburg Area Community College. His artistic and natural pursuits continue to this day, and they also influence his approach to bonsai.

He discovered his love for plant cultivation after serving in the Army National Guard. During ten years in the military, he dabbled in horticulture as a way to combat depression. When he was discharged, he began to dedicate increasingly more time to his new hobby. He started small, buying a few plants from a home improvement store – and was immediately hooked. After tending to them for several days, he doubled the size of his budding collection, eager to learn how to care for as many new varieties as possible.

“I would sit and study each and every plant.
I would take notes, and spend hours reading and watching videos on the anatomy of plants.”

Over the next two years, he taught himself how to nurture them and keep them thriving. “I would sit and study each and every plant,” he said. “I would take notes, and spend hours reading and watching videos on the anatomy of plants to find out what they like and don’t like, what different colorations meant, and how to treat and prevent ailments.”

Isiah, like many people who grew up in the 1980s and 90s, was first introduced to bonsai through the character Mr. Miyagi in the popular film The Karate Kid. Although he was at first intimidated by the art form, he was intrigued by the challenge of learning it. Realizing that he wanted to be around plant life at all times, Isiah began to pursue a professional career as a nursery manager.

At Superfly Bonsai, he started from the ground up, literally: He began in the soil section of the warehouse, learning about different types of fertilizers, nutrients, and the specific benefits to bonsai trees. Over the next few years, Isiah immersed himself in every aspect of the art, increasing his understanding of tools, pots, and soil, and learning to grow trees from seedlings to live stock to cultivated specimens. He helped to tray thousands of seeds and developed the fledgling nursery into a full-grown bonsai farm.

When the business closed, Isiah was thirsty for more knowledge. He was led to the National Bonsai Apprenticeship by his passion for bonsai and his dedication to digging ever deeper into the art form. Serving alongside the expert curators at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum is the ideal way to continue to develop his skills and expertise. It also gives him a meaningful way to overcome depression, find clarity and balance, and focus on his lifelong ambition.

“Bonsai reminds me
of who I am.”

“Bonsai reminds me of who I am,” he said. “It has done so much for me over the last five years, and I am starting to devote my life to the art of bonsai. I am so thankful to the National Bonsai Foundation for making this role possible, and I’m excited to learn from the incredible curators at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum.”

As the National Bonsai Apprentice, Isiah will continue his journey of self-discovery and will hone his vision for a life of bonsai caretaking. Aside from tending to his personal collection of hundreds of trees, he wants to start a bonsai farm, build a school for bonsai, and create space for people to pause and find themselves through the art form.

Welcome, Isiah! We are thrilled to have you on the team and look forward to all that you will do for the Museum, the art of bonsai, and our community.

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​​NBF is pleased to provide complete financial support for this Apprenticeship, thanks to our generous donors. Without your help, this premiere national apprenticeship that helps to usher in the next generation of horticulturists wouldn’t be possible. Make a tax-deductible gift today to support the future of bonsai artistry. 

Special Edition World Bonsai Day T-Shirts

The official World Bonsai Day t-shirt is available now for purchase in a variety of colors and shirt types. Grab yours!

To celebrate World Bonsai Day, the National Bonsai Foundation releases limited edition wearable items, adorned with select artwork each year. This year’s design, created by Aaron Stratten of the Potomac Bonsai Association, features a tree lovingly known as “Little Lonely Doug”, a powerful Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) styled by renowned American bonsai artist Bjorn Bjorholm. This tree made its way from the collections at Eisei-en Bonsai Garden in Nashville, TN and was donated in 2024 by Bjorn and Richard Le to the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum at the US National Arboretum in Washington, DC.

Vote for Us in Best of DC 2024!

In two minutes, you can help build our community.

Please vote for us and the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in the Washington City Paper's Best of DC 2024!

Help more people discover the beauty and serenity of the art of bonsai. Voting is open until June 10 at midnight (ET). For more than five years, you've kept us among the top spots in the categories below. With your vote this year, we can stay there.

Will you take a moment to vote for us in the following categories?

Best Place to Take an Out-of-Towner
Vote for the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

Best Place to Meditate
Vote for the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

Best Museum Off the Mall
Vote for the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

Best Arts & Culture Nonprofit
Vote for the National Bonsai Foundation

(Note that you will need to write in the nomination for each ballot.)

Please share this with your friends and family, too. We need everyone to vote for bonsai! Simply share this link:

bonsai-nbf.org/bestofdc24

NBF strives each day to uphold and promote the beauty of the Museum’s trees and viewing stones, and to promote the art of bonsai across the nation – so more people can experience the resilience and tranquility found among bonsai and penjing.

Voting closes on June 10! Thank you for taking the time to honor and promote the Museum and the National Bonsai Foundation, an ever-evolving emblem of intercultural understanding and friendship.

Our Best Bonsai Photos of 2023

Thank you to all of our supporters in 2023! You are the reason that the National Bonsai Foundation continues to thrive in our mission to preserve the history, protect the legacy, and prepare the future of the art of bonsai in America.

Whether you donated to the National Bonsai Foundation last year, visited the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in person, or simply shared in the admiration of bonsai – your contributions to and participation in this great art form are deeply appreciated.

Through the course of years, decades, and even centuries, successive caretakers cultivate and nurture these incredible living art works. During our own lifetimes, the great responsibility and immense honor to care for these timeless trees falls to us. There is more to be done if we want to sustain the resilient beauty and persistent hope of bonsai for generations to come.

That's why, with your help, we will continue to sustain the art of bonsai in numerous ways throughout 2024:

• We are proud to sponsor the National Bonsai Apprenticeship, the nation's premiere training program for up-and-coming bonsai artists. The renowned program prepares a new generation of American bonsai experts to ensure the future of the art of bonsai. Apprentices benefit from immersive education with professional curators and caretakers, hands-on experience with America’s national bonsai and penjing collections, and daily opportunities to hone their horticultural and artistic talents.

• We partner with the U.S. National Arboretum to help maintain the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, the first and finest museum of its kind in the world. We support new exhibitions of bonsai, penjing, and viewing stones, helping to share the magic of these art forms with the public. We also provide ongoing education and development for the curators, which offers expanded opportunities to keep current with the latest approaches and techniques to the art form, and allows them to gain learning to stay at the top of their field.

• We inform, educate, and inspire people at all levels about this breathtaking art form. Through initiatives like World Bonsai Day, exhibitions around the country, hands-on workshops, and national awards, we continue to share and delight in these awe-inspiring trees that give us so much joy, hope, and purpose.

We are so grateful that you have joined us to support these initiatives. Our dedicated community includes everyone from bonsai artists with decades of experience to new enthusiasts who have just discovered the awe of bonsai. Wherever you find yourself on your bonsai journey, we value you and we're glad you're here.

Thank you for helping to cultivate this incredible living art form. Together, we can ensure a vibrant and enduring future for the art of bonsai.

Warm regards and best wishes for the new year!

Visit the Museum to see these beautiful trees in person.

Our Best Bonsai Photos of 2023

All photos courtesy of NBF Board Member and professional photographer Stephen Voss.

Click on any photo to see a larger version. You can then scroll through the gallery by clicking on the left-right icons or using your arrow keys.

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Ringing in the New Year, Literally

On New Year’s Day, the National Bonsai Foundation joined more than 150 visitors at the U.S. National Arboretum to hear the resonant tolls of a sacred Japanese temple bell. The bell, a gift from the National Bell Festival, was cast in 1798 at a monastery outside present-day Tokyo – which makes it 226 years old!

The bell was installed in the central courtyard of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, above the entrance to the Japanese Pavilion. The dedication included remarks from Arboretum Director Dr. Richard Olsen and National Bell Festival Director Paul Ashe, a traditional Buddhist blessing and sacred chants from All Beings Zen Sangha, and a ceremonial ringing of the bell. The ceremony also included four varieties of Japanese tea courtesy of local DC teahouse Teaism, including GenMaiCha (green tea with toasted rice), Hojicha (toasted green tea), Sencha, (very high grade green tea), and Soba Cha (Japanese buckwheat herbal infusion).

The event was covered by several outlets. You can read more at the links below:

ABC 7 (WJLA): Centuries-old Japanese temple bell installed at National Arboretum on New Year's Day »

WTOP News: How a nonprofit plans to preserve the sound of an ancient Japanese bell in DC »

The National Bell Festival: Japanese Bell Dedication Ceremony »

The National Bell Festival rings on New Year's Day across all seven continents, including eight handbells that are being played by two women on the ice shelf in Antarctica.

The bell is inscribed in classical Japanese across three ikenomachi, or panels, which detail the particulars of its casting. It includes the phrase: “One strike permeates all things. How could it be said the strike is slight, when it is heard without fail?”

Visit the Museum to see this beautiful bell in person!

an old bell finds a new home

Courtesy of the National Bell Festival:

The hanshō, or Buddhist temple bell, was cast in the ninth month of Kansei 10 (1798) by Katō Jinemon from Yokokawa, who came from a family of bell makers in the area of present-day Hachiōji, west of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Their foundry was near the Zen monastery and temple Daisen (also called Daisenji in respect), for which the bell was cast. A monk named Myōdō led a fundraising campaign for the bell's casting. It stands 27 inches tall and weighs 80 lbs.

The Daisen monastery no longer exists. It was located in the Amema village in the Tama district of the province of Musashi. As is true of many Edo-period villages, the names of locations have changed, but the location corresponds to Amema, Akiruno City, Tokyo 197-0825. In 1868, the monastery was incorporated with another temple complex named Jōfukuji, which also no longer exists.

The bell is inscribed in classical Japanese across three ikenomachi, or panels, which detail the particulars of its casting. It includes the phrase:

One strike permeates all things. How could it be said the strike is slight, when it is heard without fail?

What is a Hanshō?

Courtesy of the National Bell Festival:

Hanshō are stationary clapper-less signaling bells hung in Buddhist temples throughout Japan. Like the larger bonshō, hanshō are hung mouth-down and remain motionless. A wooden beam or handheld mallet is swung to sound the bell, which indicates the time and calls monks to prayer. In earlier days, hanshō also gave service as fire alarms in village watch towers.

It is said the sloping shoulders and flat base of a hanshō emulate the seated posture of Buddha. As such, the bells are accorded utmost reverence. Casting the temple bell is also a sacred event, with sprigs of hallowed mulberry, gold offerings, and papers containing Buddhist prayers tossed into the molten bronze.

During World War II, an ordinance to collect metals was decreed throughout Japan. To feed its war machine and keep its armies outfitted, Japan needed vast quantities of industrial materials – and like plucking fruit from a tree, they turned to peaceable, defenseless bell towers. An estimated 70,000 bells (approximately 90% of the temple bells then in existence) were destroyed and smelted into armament.

Today, bonshō and hanshō maintain their sacred place in Japanese society and have become internationally-recognized symbols of peace and diplomacy.

Event Photo Gallery

Click on any photo to see a larger version. You can then scroll through the gallery by clicking on the left-right icons or using your arrow keys.

All photos courtesy of The National Bell Festival / bells.org.

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Letter from National Bonsai Apprentice Angelica Ramirez

Approaching the end of my term as the National Bonsai Apprentice at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, I feel immense gratitude for the experience, education, and memories I’ve enjoyed at this renowned institution. The responsibility for nurturing more than two hundred historically significant bonsai involves comprehensive daily care to uphold the artistic vision and to cultivate the horticultural health of these living works of art. I have learned something new every day.

As an Apprentice, I had the honor of helping to maintain the museum's garden and grounds, was responsible for the museum's daily opening and closing procedures, and assisted with classes and events. Among the many fulfilling aspects of the experience, sharing my passion and knowledge for the art of bonsai with hundreds of visitors has been particularly rewarding.

My bonsai journey was directly inspired by a photo of “Goshin”, my favorite bonsai at the Museum. This enchanting forest has been an enduring source of inspiration, influencing both my bonsai endeavors and my artistic pursuits as a painter. I've dedicated a significant amount of time to crafting a painting of “Goshin” in my personal time.

As I was working on the real “Goshin” one day during my Apprenticeship, I applied lime sulfur, a substance employed for preserving deadwood, to the trunks. It struck me that this created a tangible connection between my artistic pursuits at home and my professional duties at the Museum. In that instant, I found myself 'painting' “Goshin” in both realms, which is an extraordinary opportunity and a great honor.

Embarking on this Apprenticeship, my dedication to this art was already ingrained. However, it's within the supportive environment of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum that I've solidified a future aspiration: To curate a collection that will inspire others, just as this one has inspired me.

While my journey is far from complete, my experience as an Apprentice has offered a renewed sense of purpose. Caring for these historic bonsai instills a deep sense of responsibility and significance, and each daily task represents a contribution to something far beyond myself. Despite our transient existence compared to their long lifespans, our role as caretakers sustains these bonsai across generations. The opportunity to preserve history and contribute to this incredible legacy fills me with a sense of satisfaction and awe.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported me along the way.

To the curators of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum: Your mentorship and passion have been a source of encouragement and motivation. Your knowledge, skill, commitment, and resilience in curating such a monumental collection is truly inspiring. Your guidance has been invaluable, and I aim to one day reflect your expertise.

To the staff and volunteers at the U.S. National Arboretum: Your shared stories and fellowship have brightened my days. I appreciate your support, which has shaped both my professional approach and personal perspective.

To the National Bonsai Foundation: Your support is what makes this Apprenticeship possible. The funding, guidance, and stewardship of this position is unique in the country and gives up-and-coming bonsai artists a remarkable opportunity to learn, grow, and develop the field of bonsai care and the art form itself. I am deeply grateful that this role exists and that you gave me the chance to serve in it.

To everyone who creates, appreciates, or supports the art of bonsai: You are why we do this work. Please continue to cherish and protect this amazing art form, and know that we will do the same.

It has been an honor to work and learn alongside the exceptional individuals at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, the National Bonsai Foundation, and the U.S. National Arboretum.

Thank you for giving me this incredible opportunity.

Sincerely,
Angelica Ramirez
2023 National Bonsai Apprentice

Photographing Bonsai with Stephen Voss: In the Fall

I laughed to myself as I began composing this first shot. I’ve been the museum for fifteen years, and seriously photographing here for nearly ten of those years. And here, in front of me, was an essentially unchanged scene that I’d never spent a moment looking at. It was too obvious, and I’ve long felt an innate resistance to making those photographs that felt “easy”. But as a photography teacher once told me, pay attention to what you’re paying attention to.

And today, those beautifully carved letters were being accented by the angular Fall light and the whole scene felt as enduring as the trees themselves. I kept the camera’s shutter open for 1/3 of a second to capture some of the blur of the foreground plant as it swayed in the cooling afternoon breeze. Its impermanence felt like a welcome balance to the stone.

In the Fall, we see those most dramatic of changes and are given the opportunity to watch as the Autumn colors spill across a tree’s canopy. Each species has its unique way of expressing its color as the leaves lose their chlorophyll. Year to year, that transition can vary based on the weather and precipitation.

I’m appreciative of the museum’s minimal design that showcase these trees in front of white, lightly textured walls, so that their texture, shape and essential nature resonate outward towards the viewer. Soon, some of these trees will be transferred to the Chinese Pavilion where they will be protected from the coldest nights of winter.

This cycle continues as it has for decades, even centuries for some trees. For now, we get to appreciate them at their most showy—resplendent in these slowing days of Autumn.