is a Japanese bonsai artist, born in
ĹŚmiya-ku, Saitama
is one of ten wards of the city of Saitama, in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, and is located in the northeastern part of the city. , the ward had an estimated population of 119,298 and a population density of 9,300 persons per km². Its total area wa ...
on March 31, 1940.
Career
When Kimura was 11, his father died. Kimura wanted to be a
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
musician as a teenager, but at age 15, following the wishes of his mother, he started an apprenticeship at
Toju-en Bonsai Garden, under master Motosuke Hamano. His apprenticeship lasted eleven years.
Nowadays, Kimura is regarded as a genius and innovator in the bonsai world.
He specializes in
shimpaku junipers.
His trees are known for their intricate
deadwood features and their harsh, stark features;
this modern style is very demanding on trees, which must be dramatically bent and twisted.
Within the bonsai community, he has become known as the "Magical Technician of ''Kindai Shuppan''".
Kimura has done presentations and demonstrations around the world, and his work has appeared in numerous bonsai publications.
He won the Prime Minister's Award for the years 1988, 1995, 2000, and 2001, and the Minister of Education Award in 1999.
His past apprentices include
Marco Invernizzi,
Salvatore Liporace, Ernie Kuo, Marc Noelanders, Kawabe Takeo, and
Ryan Neil.
Published works
Katsuhito Onishi edited the Japanese texts ''The Magical Technician of Kindai Shuppan'' in 1982, ''Part II'' in 1984, and ''Part III'' in 1989. The English version, made up of ''Part II'' with some of ''Part I'', was published as ''The Bonsai Art of Kimura'' by Stone Lantern Publishing Co. in 1992.
''The Magician: the Bonsai Art of Kimura 2'' was released in 2007 by Stone Lantern.
A Spanish translation, ''Masahiko Kimura: el técnico mágico del bonsai actual'' was published in 1988 by Ediciones Tyris, S.A., His 9-video 4-hour "Kimura Master Class" course was made available by
Bonsai Empire in 2020.
References
External links
"Masahiko Kimura 2005 Photos""Shimpaku no Ishizuki: 'Stone-Affixed' Juniper" by Masahiko Kimura*
ttp://www.bonsaipots.net/index.php?page=art-and-kimura “Bonsai, Art and Kimura” by Gunter LindASPAC KIMURA DEMO 2011video Uploaded February 23, 2012
8th WBFF KIMURA DEMO 2017video Uploaded April 27, 2017
Kimura’s home Bonsai channelKimura's Online Masterclass
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kimura, Masahiko
Living people
1940 births
Bonsai artists
Artists from Saitama Prefecture