242:, Naka and four friends founded a bonsai club in November 1950, which is known today as the California Bonsai Society. He became a very important force in American bonsai art in the 1950sā60s. He was a driving force in the spread of bonsai appreciation and the practice of bonsai art in the West and elsewhere. Naka traveled and taught extensively around the world, at conventions and clubs, but refused to hold classes in Japan (where bonsai had been highly developed along certain lines over the centuries), saying "They want me to teach, and I tell them it's like trying to preach to
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275:, texts that are revered as being the bibles of western bonsai to many artists. These books would be translated into French, German, Italian, and Spanish by 1990. He contributed articles, forewords, and photographs to a number of specialty magazines and books. Nina S. Ragle's compilation of 287 proverbs presented in both Japanese and English from Naka,
279:, was published in 1987. (The title refers to the little recognized fact that, yes, even bonsai masters can make a mistake.) He was a founding director of the World Bonsai Friendship Federation (WBFF) and a co-signer of the Constitution of the Latin-American Bonsai Federation (LABF). He was an honorary advisor to the
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Other quotes of his included "Bonsai is not the result: that comes after. Your enjoyment is what is important"; "It must have philosophy, botany, artistry, human quality behind it to be a bonsai"; "The bonsai is not you working on the tree; you have to have the tree work on you"; and "Leave room for
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presented Naka with an honorary citation on behalf of the County for "his outstanding contributions to the
Japanese-American friendship by providing the people of Los Angeles and the nation with ability to understand and appreciate the beauty and significance of bonsai culture".
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with his wife Alice and their three sons, Eugene, Robert, and
Richard. Naka worked extensively with trees that were native to Southern California, rather than traditionally favored Japanese species, and helped popularize bonsai in the United States. In
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Shunichiro
Fujiyama presented Naka with an honorary citation from the Japanese government for his effort in promotion of goodwill and friendship between Japan and the United States.
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He was awarded a 2009 Pacific
Pioneer Award posthumously. The American Bonsai Society named the John Naka Award for him. An endowment fund was established in his name.
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the birds to fly through" the branches of your bonsai. Of Naka's many works, the most recognizable composition is
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of Japan bestowed upon Naka the most prestigious award for a non-Japanese citizen, The Fifth Class of the
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is displayed at the entrance. In 2001, a portrait bust by Bonnie Kobert-Harrison was unveiled there.
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141:(August 16, 1914 ā May 19, 2004) was an American horticulturist, teacher, author, and master
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A very few of his many accomplishments are the following: He published two books, entitled
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On
November 24, 1967, Naka received an honorary medal and citation from the President of
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Govenar, Alan (2001). "John Naka: Asian
American Bonsai Sculptor (Japanese)".
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsavespublicart/5772292477/in/photostream
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Naka was chosen in 1992 as one of thirteen honorees to receive a
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399:"John Y. Naka, 89; Brought Art of Asian Bonsai to the West"
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John Yoshio Naka, In
Celebration of a Grand Master's Life
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The Art of Bonsai
Project, A Tribute to John Yoshio Naka
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On May 20, 1972, the County of Los
Angeles' Supervisor
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In May 2014, Naka became the first inductee into the
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603:. National Endowment for the Arts. Archived from
536:"Bonsai & Penjing Museum Collections in DC"
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754:NABF Newsletter #1, A Tribute to John Naka
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301:edited by Jack Billet and Cheryl Manning.
233:in 1935, and then in late 1946 settled in
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199:Learn how and when to remove this message
597:"NEA National Heritage Fellowships 1992"
325:Japanese Agricultural Affairs Department
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561:"Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Celebration"
516:. National Endowment for the Arts. n.d
229:He returned to the United States near
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818:National Heritage Fellowship winners
803:American artists of Japanese descent
456:Snyder, Michael (November 9, 2021).
376:National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
351:National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
226:due to his grandfather's influence.
211:Naka was born on August 16, 1914 in
181:adding citations to reliable sources
703:Schoech, Wayne (October 12, 2017).
16:American bonsai artist (1914ā2004)
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808:People from Weld County, Colorado
458:"The Ever-Evolving Art of Bonsai"
760: (archived December 2, 2002)
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627:"John Y. Naka Biography, Part V"
355:United States National Arboretum
261:United States National Arboretum
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168:needs additional citations for
397:Buchanan, Joy (May 24, 2004).
357:, was named in honor of Naka.
277:Even Monkeys Fall Out of Trees
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510:"John Naka: Bonsai Sculptor"
366:National Heritage Fellowship
318:Minister for Foreign Affairs
128:National Heritage Fellowship
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678:"John Naka Endowment Fund"
540:National Bonsai Foundation
304:Naka died May 19, 2004 in
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316:On May 23, 1960, Japan's
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344:Order of the Rising Sun
299:John Naka's Sketchbook,
235:Los Angeles, California
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131:1992
813:Artists from Colorado
489:Bonsai Techniques I,
403:The Los Angeles Times
259:is on display at the
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213:Fort Lupton, Colorado
61:Fort Lupton, Colorado
684:on September 5, 2011
306:Whittier, California
273:Bonsai Techniques II
177:improve this article
80:Whittier, California
269:Bonsai Techniques I
253:Naka's masterpiece
462:The New York Times
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658:on April 22, 2011
652:"John Naka Award"
312:Awards and honors
295:Montezuma Cypress
231:Boulder, Colorado
220:Japanese-American
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568:NBF Bulletin
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175:Please help
170:verification
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145:cultivator.
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97:Notable work
74:(2004-05-19)
72:May 19, 2004
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793:2004 deaths
788:1914 births
710:October 14,
545:November 8,
782:Categories
773:Bonsaitalk
434:1576072401
382:References
111:Alice Naka
53:1914-08-16
470:0362-4331
338:In 1985,
25:John Naka
443:47644303
116:Children
756:at the
688:May 29,
662:May 29,
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359:Goshin
290:Goshin
256:Goshin
244:Buddha
224:bonsai
143:bonsai
124:Awards
108:Spouse
102:Goshin
91:Bonsai
82:, U.S.
63:, U.S.
575:(PDF)
564:(PDF)
217:Nisei
712:2017
690:2011
664:2011
638:2020
613:2020
583:2023
547:2021
522:2020
491:ISBN
477:2021
466:ISSN
439:OCLC
429:ISBN
410:2023
271:and
149:Life
69:Died
43:Born
246:."
179:by
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
