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.
