The art of Saikei is simple and affordable to get started in and we would like to support you as you start your journey of discovery. At its simplest all you need to get started is a shallow pot, rock or rocks, soil, a small tree or small trees and imagination. We hope you take up the challenge and you find your Saikei as enchanting as fellow artist in Japan, Europe, Russia, South Africa and the United States of America and other nations as Saikei spreads by storm. Many other artists have and joined us to date to discover the key success factors and styles that will elevate your art to another level of appreciation.
You will find a wealth of resources on this website but this is the tip of the iceberg and we look forward to sharing your journey of discovery, the first step though is starting and this is your challenge.
About Saikei
To create a Saikei you will need small trees, rocks, moss, plants and aggregates and of course a tray.
Saikei gives the creater a better vent for their imagination. Many saikei artist draw on places that they have visited to get inspiration often drawing on geological features and feelings of a place to create a saikei.
Some Basic Saikei Facts
- Saikei originally developed from the Chinese art of Pen-jing (chinese landscapes).
- The use of rocks as elements in Bonsai composition lost popularity in the 1400’s due to a focus on refined arts.
- Toshio Kawamoto a Japanese Bonsai Master and the owner of the Nippon Bonsai and Saikei Institute rediscovered Saikei in the 1940’s.
- Saikei is less stylised than Bonsai in that it puts less emphasis on trees and more emphasis on the whole.
- Saikei trees are less stylised and are generally more natural.
- Saikei has very few rules and so is a free form.
- Most students learn by starting with the one tree one rock form.
Why not contact us saikeiassociation@gmail.com