About the Itoigawa Shimpaku

The shimpaku was first discovered in Ehime Prefecture, Shikoku Island, on Western Japan’s highest mountain, Mt. Ishizuchi (1,982 m).

The Chinese juniper (called ibuki in Japanese) was once very popular, but after the shimpaku was discovered it quickly became the most popular variety of juniper in bonsai. Because it is found in deep, mountainous regions, it was given the name miyamabyakushin which means ‘deep mountain juniper,’ but today it is better known by its nickname ‘shimpaku,’ which means ‘true juniper.’

After its discovery, collectors flocked to Mt. Ishizuchi and by 1907 the tree had almost completely vanished and it was thought to be extinct forever.

In 1910, bonsai collector Suzuki Tahei was traveling by steamer from Hokkaido to his native Ehime Prefecture. As the boat stopped off the coast of Itoigawa, Tahei saw Mt. Kurohime towering over the Itoigawa region. The tall, rocky mountain reminded him of Mt. Ishizuchi and he began to wonder if perhaps there were shimpaku growing there as well. He decided to disembark in Itoigawa and see for himself. Tahei followed the Oumi River up into the mountains and, near the small village of Shimizukura (now part of Itoigawa’s Hashidate District), he discovered shimpaku on the limestone face of Mt. Kurohime.

The shimpaku he discovered here were similar to those in Shikoku, but hardier and they created even more beautiful bonsai, so they soon became known as a new variety, the “Itoigawa Shimpaku.”

After his discovery, Tahei moved to Shimizukura Village to collect and sell the trees he had found. In 1912, even more shimpaku were discovered on Mt. Myojo, so he moved to what is now Itoigawa’s Kotaki District and, with the help of friends and family, he exported the Itoigawa Shimpaku across Japan.

By the 1930s, the Itoigawa Shimpaku had become a national phenomenon among bonsai collectors. While interest waned during the events of the Second World War, the postwar economic boom starting in the 1950s (the so-called “Japanese Economic Miracle”) saw the Itoigawa Shimpaku once again become a highly desired status symbol among collectors and the increasingly wealthy middle class. The demand for Itoigawa Shimpaku was at an all-time high.

During this time, famous trees like Jū’un and Hi’ryū were discovered and sold to collectors across the country and by the 1970s, almost all of the large specimens had been harvested and the Itoigawa Shimpaku had nearly vanished from the wild.

Rampant collection has nearly exhausted the mountains of Itoigawa Shimpaku trees, with only a few specimens left of significant age. While there are still some bonsai artists in Itoigawa who are interested in preserving the Itoigawa Shimpaku, they are struggling to find successors to continue their work. Likewise, the remote communities which traditionally managed and guarded the forests and mountains where the Itoigawa Shimpaku grows are aging and depopulating at an alarming rate as young people move to the lower valleys or distant cities in search of work. Immediate action is needed if this cultural heritage is to be saved for future generations.

In March 2020, the Itoigawa Geopark Council cooperated with local bonsai artists, community organizations and other stakeholders to start the Itoigawa Shimpaku Project. Our stated goal is to “Ensure that the Itoigawa Shimpaku will be enjoyed for the next 300 years through three pillars of “conservation and preservation,” “educational tourism development” and “community engagement.”