“Tocinoshin” the Shohin Trident

[Tidal Bonsai]

Although I haven’t had this shohin trident maple for long, it has a special place in my garden. I purchased this tree late winter of 2024, right around the time that I saw Tocinoshin’s emotional retirement ceremony from sumo wrestling. Since the tree is powerful, but gentle I thought it was the perfect name for this tree!

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

After slipping it into a much more appropriate Shibakatsu pot, it was ready to grow and show in its new climate. This tree paired perfectly with my pitch pine, and helped earn me my first award in bonsai!

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

Tocinoshin was given one last show in its current form, before it will be given a few years off to rebuild and improve it further.


Right after MABS, I removed a few unnecessary branches, and plan to do a thread graft to replace the apex of the tree. For the next few years it will live in this bigger grow pot so that it can be taken to the next level of development when it can be shown in a leafless silhouette!

 

[pandacular]

Right after MABS, I removed a few unnecessary branches, and plan to do a thread graft to replace the apex of the tree.

I looked the namesake up…seems about as fitting a name for bonsai as could be. Thanks for sharing, it’s a cool story, and cool to share in it with your tree.