We Are Tomodachi Autumn 2017

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31en, established in 1896. “Being an apprentice requires a very strong commitment,” cautions Andrade. Taking just a day off each month and a week off a year, Andrade worked for three years in Achi-en, watering and weeding in the nursery and its fields where new stock grew, and visited customers’ homes to care for their trees. Only at night did he have time for his own projects, wiring, cutting, and repotting trees, and to interact with his master to discover new techniques. Typically, it takes around five to six years to complete an apprenticeship, but Andrade took only half this time.Andrade explains that having studied karate in his childhood years also helped speed up his learning. “In karate, during the detailed patterns of movements, each part of the body must be balanced with the other parts. When I work with bonsai, I break down the tree into its elements of branches, trunks, and roots, applying the same principle.” Andrade adds that cultivating and coaxing out each tree’s natural beauty entails a very personal relationship. “Master Tanaka always reminded me that bonsai is a collaboration between man and nature. Every effort you put into a tree, the tree will give back to you, becoming healthier, more beautiful, or more blooming.”When asked about the most difficult aspect of bonsai, Andrade explains that nothing is easy, but grasping Japanese aesthetics, the wabi-sabi, took the longest. “To put it simply, Western art is about flair and impact, and is very showy. On the contrary, Japanese aesthetics are about acceptance of transience and finding beauty in imperfection. I gradually came to understand this in my daily life in Japan by observing traditional architecture and gardens.” Andrade explains, “the best bonsai transmit peace of mind.”Today Andrade travels around the world to demonstrate the tree shaping art. He even demonstrated with Master Tanaka on the stage before bonsai fans from all over the world at the 8th World Bonsai Convention held in April 2017 in Japan.Andrade says that doing bonsai, “I do not feel like I am working. I just feel like I am living every single moment of my day. Everybody wants that out of life. I want to keep on doing bonsai till the day I cut a bonsai, go to bed, and die.” Andrade is eager to share his passion for bonsai with others. He envisions creating bonsai academies around the world where students can learn from a variety of teachers with different specialties to find their own Bonsai Dream.Apprentices live together as part of Tanaka’s family at Aichi-en.Andrade demonstrating on stage at the 8th World Bonsai Convention, held in April 2017 in Japan.Before (left) and after (right) 8 hours of wiring and cutting. It will take several years for the bonsai branches to attain their desired natural shape.Aichi-en Master Junichiro Tanaka and Andrade. “From the very beginning, he let me try many things.” Juan AndradeBorn in Santa Ana, Costa Rica. Majored in plant biology at the University of Costa Rica. Currently based in Costa Rica, he travels around the world to teach and promote bonsai.© bonsaiempire.com