Research Project: Bonsai Trees & Zen Buddhism (posted by Annie)

 

Introduction 

For my Japanese research project, I am studying the ancient art of bonsai. I learned about bonsai through a documentary on Japanese gardens that talked about it. I was interested, and wanted to know more. You probably don’t know what bonsai is. The word bonsai comes from the Chinese word pensai, which means planting in a container. The reason why bonsai are so small is because they are in a pot, which does not allow them to grow. The Chinese started creating miniature landscapes over 2000 years ago. Then, it immigrated to Japan. Instead of doing whole landscapes like the Chinese, the Japanese just did miniature trees. (Omiya Bonsai Museum, Kanegi)

When I went to the Omiya Bonsai Museum, I learned about how you are supposed to look at a bonsai tree. First, you look at the roots. Then you go to the trunk. You make your way up to the branches with your eyes. Finally, look at the leaves.

There are (according to one of my many websites) 14 different types of bonsai, but here are just a few:

• Broom style

• Formal upright style

• Informal upright style

• Cascade style

• Semi cascade style

• Multi trunk style

• Forest style

• Shari style (Bonsai Empire)

While I was doing my research, I found a strong correlation between bonsai and Zen Buddhism. For those of you who don't know, the Buddha was a prince in India, in the 6th century B.C. He had a privileged life. He ate as much as he wished and some more, wore fine clothes, but never saw the outside world. One day he decided to go outside. There he saw hunger, aging, and sickness. He was shocked. He left his family in search of a reason for suffering and he made himself homeless and starved himself for six years, yet still he did not have an answer to the suffering. Then he sat himself under the bodhi tree, and he had a revelation about the four noble truths (PBS, BBC, Bragg, Suzuki):

• the truth of suffering, we all end up suffering. 

• the source of suffering is our desire.                                                                                                     

• you can end of suffering, if you can end desire.

• the path that leads to the end of suffering, is called the eightfold path.

Then he explained the eightfold path:

• Right understanding, understand the Four Nobel Truthes

• Right thought, do not think badly

• Right speech, do not say bad things

• Right act, do not do bad things

• Right livelihood, do not have a profession that does bad things

• Right effort, do not have unwholesome states of mind

• Right mindfulness, have a sense of awareness in your body

• Right concentration, do meditation (Bragg, PBS)

This is the path to enlightenment and to the end of suffering. But that only explains Buddhism, not Zen Buddhism. Zen was first introduced into Japan as early as 653-656 C.E, in the Shofukuji Temple. Zen Buddhists emphasize meditation (Bragg). With meditation, you cannot think about anything, your mind just goes blank. The differences between Buddhism and Zen Buddhism are:

Buddhism	Zen Buddhism
You get enlightened over time	You get enlightened immediately
No manistic way of life	A manistic way of life
Not regularly meditating	Regularly meditating

Some other facts about Zen Buddhism are:

• Speak in riddles to sidestep rational thought

• Words and rational thought get in the way of enlightenment

• Posture and the way your legs are crossed is more important than breathing in meditation (Bragg, Daisen-In Garden)

So, my question is "What does Bonsai tell us about Zen Buddhism?"

Methodology 

For my project I read websites, visited museums, interviewed people, watched documentaries and even listened to a podcast:

I read thirteen different books and websites.

I watched three documentaries 

I visited five museums

I interviewed three people: a bonsai enthusiast, and two bonsai apprentices.

I visited seven different Buddhist temples.

In total I have twenty-four different sources.

Section 1: Wabi Sabi

Mariya Kanegi’s article “What Role did Zen Buddhism Play in Bonsai Culture” taught me about the wabi sabi. Wabi sabi is a Buddhist concept that means to “embrace imperfection, embrace impermanence, celebrate the natural cycle of growth and decay, and celebrate the imperfection of nature” (Kanegi). I think that bonsai has a lot of wabi sabi in it, especially with the style of “shari” bonsai, which has a lot of dead wood.

Here is a photo of bonsai that I think depicts that.

I feel like it is rough because it has all of the sharp bits, and the roots are showing to emphasize that it is barely holding on. It is asymmetrical because it is a semi cascade style, which means it is slanted. It is decaying because of the driftwood and, since it is slanting it looks like it is slowly dying. 

This reflects Zen Buddhism because, according to Mariya Kanegi, “the Zen aesthetics in bonsai is to accentuate the essence of the tree”. That basically is wabi sabi because wabi sabi is to celebrate the imperfection of nature, and the essence of trees is usually not perfect. 

This is what it tells us about Zen Buddhism: Stop trying to be perfect. You will never be perfectly symmetrical, or get perfect scores on tests, or get a perfect life. And that's okay.

Section 2: Shibui

One of the other reasons for what bonsai tells us about Zen Buddhism is shibui. I learnt about shibui from Mariya Kanegi’s, What Role did Zen Buddhism Play in Bonsai Culture. According to her, shibui is to “value simplicity, and to understand simplicity”. To me, for shibui, simplicity is the key. No need to do crazy, big stuff. Just small. It does not have to be eye-catching. Bonsai shows this because most are simple and don't draw too much attention grabbing. Again, a bonsai tree that shows shibui.

I feel this tree shows shibui because it does not draw too much attention, but when you stop to look at it closely, there is so much more to it. It is simple, but says so much more. Just for an example, for me the roots look like a turtle swimming with a tree on its back. Another example is the trunk on the far right. To me it looks like someone singing with their arms held up high. And that is just from glancing at it. What more would you see when fully taking it in? Would it look like a face? I don't know. But I think that is what shibui is. Simple, but extravagant on the inside.

This is what it tells us about Zen Buddhism: Stop thinking so much. Let your mind go blank.

Section 3: Satori 

My third reason is Satori. I learnt about satori through the D.T Suzuki Museum. 

D.T Suzuki said, “The acquiring of a new viewpoint… Satori is the unfolding of a new world hitherto unseen.” Satori is like putting on glasses for the first time. It's all blurry at first, but then it all comes into focus so suddenly. The glasses are like understanding the meaning of life, that we are one with nature. 

Bonsai is kind of like satori because the trees seem to be only a few years old at first, but actually are hundreds of years old. Once you change your perspective, you can see the true meaning behind the trees (Omiya Bonsai Museum, D.T Suzuki Museum).

This tree shows satori because to me it seems mysterious, and big, and old, and secretive, and nobody will crack the code. It seems like it has answers to everything, but won't give a clue of what they are. 

It also shows satori because when we were looking at this tree from above, it looked tiny and meek, but when I took this picture from below, it looked mighty and wise. This is what it tells us about Zen Buddhism: satori is something kind of like Enlightenment.

Conclusion 

So, in conclusion, the answer (in my opinion) to my topic “What does Bonsai tell us about Zen Buddhism?” is wabi sabi, shibui and satori. Now we will play some games. Choose which type of style these bonsai trees are!

 

1. Forest style

2. Broom style

3. Shari style

1. Broom style

2. Informal upright style

3. Slanting style

1. Shari style

2. Slanting style

3. Cascade style

Answers are A, B, C! Did you get it right?

Works Cited

Admin Wazakura. “A Short Introduction to Japanese Bonsai Philosophy and Wabi Sabi.” Wazakura Japan, 31 May 2024, wazakurajapan.com/blogs/news/introduction-to-japanese-bonsai-and-wabi-sabi?srsltid=AfmBOop-fDsNrwrLpq8EYEVn8kb6VozhlMgPx_yoC8DFj2MLeR_80eQZ . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

BBC. “BBC - Religions - Buddhism: Zen Buddhism.” Bbc.co.uk, 2 Oct. 2002, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/subdivisions/zen_1.shtml . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Bragg, Melvin. In Our Time, Zen. BBC, 2014. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

C.L./ J.R. “Wabi-Sabi, a Spiritual and Aesthetic Concept.” Japan-Experience.com, 2020, www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/understanding-japan/wabi-sabi-a-spiritual-and-aesthetic-concept . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025 .

Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki. Introduction to Zen Buddhism. 1949. 2018.

Dhamma in English. “Documentary - the Buddha - PBS Documentary (Narrated by Richard Gere).” YouTube, 17 Sept. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc7_VyVXDLs .

Happy Boots: step into the world. “Temples and Shrines in Japan: Key Differences Explained!” YouTube, 6 Oct. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uWdar2jJOE . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

“Japanese Temples.” Www.japan-Guide.com, 8 June 2025, www.japan-guide.com/e/e2058.html . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Jason Hanrahan - The Bonsai Garden. “Zen and the Art of Bonsai.” YouTube, 8 Mar. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5a5A6skCWY.  Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Joseph. Shunkaen Bonsai Museum. 4 Oct. 2025.

Kin. Shunkaen Bonsai Museum. 4 Oct. 2025.

Mariya Kanegi. “What Role Did Zen Buddhism Play in Bonsai Culture? - Mariya Kanegi - Medium.” Medium, 6 Oct. 2024,medium.com/@mariya.kanegi/what-role-did-zen-buddhism-play-in-bonsai-culture-c3b9d218895a . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

“Ronald Eyre on Zen.” YouTube, 5 Feb. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsMH0VjmP0I&list=PLnSbMXkqvdJxVImdg_hqpWMGOeoLq2xBX&index=4 . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

“Shaping and Styling Bonsai Trees.” Bonsai Empire, www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/styling/ .

“The Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Temples and Shrines | Motto Japan Media - Japanese Culture & Living in Japan.” Motto-Jp.com, 10 Mar. 2020, motto-jp.com/media/lifestyle/the-beginners-guide-to-japanese-temples-and-shrines/ . Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Yuka. The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum. Sept. 2025