Kokufu Bonsai theft in Kyoto

[Sansokuu]

17日午前1時頃、京都大徳寺『芳春院盆栽庭園』にて盗難が発生しました。工事中の防犯体制が整っている所ではなく、西面（信長の墓所・総見院）の高い塀に脚立をかけて70mの墓所を越えて運び出したようです。
10点中、高額な国風展出品樹もあり、お心当たりのある方は、エスキューブまでご連絡を宜しくお願いします。担当管轄は京都北警察署です。現場検証・鑑識は終了しています。
At around 1am on the 17th, a theft occurred in the Hoshun-in Bonsai Garden at Daitokuji Temple in Kyoto. Rather than being located in an area with no security measures in place due to construction, the theft was apparently carried out by placing a stepladder on the high wall on the west side (Nobunaga's grave, Sogen-in) and crossing the 70m tomb.
Among the 10 trees, there was one that was a high-value tree entered in the Kokufu Exhibition, so if you have any idea what may have stolen it, please contact S-Cube. The Kyoto Kita Police Station is in charge of the case. Investigations and forensics at the scene have been completed.
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These bonsai thieves are still at it, but stealing a kokufu tree.. I would hope with such a high profile it will get recovered but seeing as how no trees I have ever seen stolen make it back…

 

[Glaucus]

Bla, crossing across Nobunaga's grave with stolen Kokufu-level bonsai...
Pretty crazy story.

Art pieces like these usually get stolen either by morons, or on commission.

 

[pandacular]

it will get recovered but seeing as how no trees I have ever seen stolen make it back…

You can still chose to hope, the Pacific Bonsai Museum had two stolen trees returned.

 

[Sansokuu]

You can still chose to hope, the Pacific Bonsai Museum had two stolen trees returned.

Oh you are right! I also hope this really puts bonsai theft in full spotlight in japan, it had seemed like prior thefts were being shrugged at by the police. It just seems crazy people can get away with it at all if they just inspect containers leaving or coming from japan..

 

[Sansokuu]

Bumping post, please share. Original fb post here:

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[rockm]

Sounds like a contract theft to me. I Oates an article a while back on what’s happening with high end thefts. Contracted things steal on request. Stolen trees usually funnel back to SE Asia.

2 Vietnamese go on trial for major bonsai theft in Kumamoto | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

 

[Sansokuu]

Someone posting to r/bonsai said they visited japan recently and some nurseries prevented photos from being taken so people wouldn’t ‘catalog’ the trees for possible theft. It’s just disgusting people can think that throwing money at thieves is the same as ‘buying’ it.

 

[Sansokuu]

A more personal account from the bonsai owner:

The Disappearance of Beloved Bonsai – The Theft at Hoshun-in Temple Garden : 雨竹 盆栽 水石 便り

As we bid farewell to the cherry blossoms and welcome the season of fresh greenery, I never imagined I would be writing such a post.In the early hours of April 17, ten bonsai were stolen from the *Hoshun-in Bonsai Garden* at Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto.Alt

uchikutei.officeblog.jp

As we bid farewell to the cherry blossoms and welcome the season of fresh greenery, I never imagined I would be writing such a post.



In the early hours of April 17, ten bonsai were stolen from the *Hoshun-in Bonsai Garden* at Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto.



Although we had taken reasonable precautions for security, the thieves managed to scale a tall wall on the south and west sides of the garden—walls that belong to Sōken-in Temple, the resting place of Oda Nobunaga.

It appears they placed a ladder against the wall, crossed over 70 meters through the temple graveyard, and carried the trees over another wall on the opposite side.



Among the stolen bonsai, two were of particular importance.

They had been exhibited at the World Bonsai Convention and the Kokufu-ten, and were deeply cherished by the Reverend Monk of Hoshun-in.

These trees were, in many ways, symbolic of the entire garden.



Another was a juniper created by my late apprentice, Mr. Kumagai, who lost his life in the Great Tsunami of Tohoku in 2011.

The tree had once left my hands, but by a twist of fate, I was able to buy it back.

Since then, I had vowed never to let it go again, placing it in the garden as if laying it to rest.
On the morning of the 17th, I was stunned when the garden’s dedicated caretaker reported,

“Some of the trees are missing.”

From that moment, we did everything possible—calling the police for investigation and forensics, notifying the bonsai community’s theft alert network, and more.



Many friends believed this to be the work of an overseas group, as similar incidents have occurred in recent years.

To steal from a sacred Buddhist site, inaccessible from any public road, by crossing a vast graveyard—such a crime is beyond the imagination of any bonsai practitioner.



From what we’ve heard about past thefts, the trees are often hidden somewhere nearby for a few days, then shipped overseas through underground networks.

More than anger, I was overwhelmed with fear for the trees themselves.

Where are they now?

Are they being watered?

It felt as if a small child had been abducted.






All I can do is pray for a miracle, for someone to come forward with information.



In all my years devoted to bonsai, I have never been so devastated.



To all bonsai lovers around the world, I humbly ask: **Please do not buy these trees.**



I believe those who truly love bonsai—living beings imbued with spirit—are people of integrity,

capable of understanding the deep sorrow this has caused.

 

[rockm]

I understand the sorrow at losing these to idiots who have no regard for anything bigger than themselves. Hoping against hope these trees turn up whole and alive.

 

[WinstonWolfe]

This is tragic. Hopefully it is discovered or returned in healthy condition, and the offenders are held responsible.

 

[Bonsella]

I'm between sorrow and anger.

In these days it's useful to put some kind of GPS tags in valuable items. No one is free of this shit