This Kuromatsu, aka Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii) was featured at the 27th Japan Bonsai Writer Association exhibition (Nippon Bonsai Sakka Kyokai exhibition), where this photo was taken. I cropped the original photo (see just below) for a closer look at just the tree

I found this magnificent tree on The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum‘s timeline. This famous museum is home to some of the best bonsai in the world and this Japanese black pine is certainly no exception. To my eye it is one of the most unique pines we’ve featured in our ten years of blogging (well, nine years and 10 months). It’s so wild and rugged that no matter what, it will never look like a more conventionally styled bonsai. Let alone many Japanese bonsai (some people complain about over-styling in Japan – a half formed notion in my opinion – and a topic for another time).

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Here's the original photo

STONE LANTERN & BONSAI TODAY'S FAMOUS PINE BOOK

Cropped and blown up for a closer look at the gnarled old trunk