Here I am grooming a bonsai tree in our Terrey Hills studio, which is one of my daily jobs.

a bonsai apprentice

by Alex Bennett

In each issue of jstyle, we ask an Australian to remember their special relationship with Japan

When I arrived in Japan in 2000, it was for a two-year apprenticeship at one of Japanﾕs oldest and most prestigious bonsai nurseries. Mansei-en, in Omiya Saitama prefecture, is a fifth-generation nursery run by the Kato family.
Mansei-en has some of the most famous bonsai specimens in Japan. Under the guidance of Saburo Kato, his son Hatsuji and grandson Haruhiko, the nursery has been preeminent for more than 60 years.

I was able to work at Mansei-en as my mother had been Mr Katoﾕs bonsai student in 1978, when he came to Sydney on a goodwill mission sponsored by the Japan Foundation in Tokyo.
Before working in Japan I had studied at Ryde School of Horticulture for three years, receiving my certificate in 1998. While studying, I was working at my family's bonsai nursery in Terrey Hills.

Now being 29, I look back with fond memories of my time in Japan and the knowledge and experience gained there. It has helped shape my life.
It was the first time I had ever lived overseas and I really didnﾕt have a clue of what I was getting myself into, except to be told to work hard, learn and be patient.
Living in Japan was a culture shock. In some ways I felt I was learning things backwards. In truth it took me 18 months to get used to the lifestyle.
In the nursery there was only one person who understood English. I was one of four apprentices. I had to struggle through the first six months with the language barrier. It was a very hierarchical workplace and I quickly learnt I was at the bottom.
I began by sweeping the nursery, weeding, cleaning toilets and serving tea to the customers. Plucking and removing old needles slowly built up to watering the bonsai, repotting the trees, pruning, styling and basically learning the Mansei-en way of life.
There were many jobs I did that seemingly had little purpose. Like washing 400 pots in the rain or moving 200kg of bonsai from one end of the nursery and back again. I spent endless hours plucking, cutting and pulling old needles and leaves. Some trees took me three days to finish.

By these activities, I learnt the art of focusing and strengthening the mind and the discipline required to work in a traditional Japanese nursery like Mansei-en.
Most of the Japanese people Iﾕve spoken to acknowledge a bonsai apprenticeship is a tough and difficult career. However there were many humorous events, like the American who insisted on talking to me in Japanese (albeit badly) even though I twice told him I could speak English. I also recall the almost pleasant experience of Japanese train rides in morning and evening peak periods.

I am thankful to the friends I made in Japan and the family I lived with for their support and encouragement. I also thank the Kato family who gave me the opportunity to learn the art of bonsai.
Since my return, I have spent five years honing my skills at my parentsﾕ Sydney nursery. I teach bonsai classes, prune and style customersﾕ trees, do demonstrations and further my knowledge in what is a deep and rewarding art.
Alex Bennett can be contacted at Bonsai Art Pty Ltd Sydney
Phone: 02 9450 2802
Web: megumibennettbonsai.com