Bonsai does not refer to a specific species of tree, but rather to the art of growing trees in shallow pots and manipulating their limbs into aesthetically pleasing shapes with wires and other tools. It is a Japanese term that translates literally to "tree in a tray," and the art form has long been associated with that country. However, according to Bonsai Boy of New York, experts agree that the art began in China. It was initially practiced by Buddhist monks, and ancient manuscripts and paintings confirm that it dates as far back as 600 AD, but there are many scholars who believe that the roots of the art go back as far as 500 or even 1,000 BC. It later moved east along with Zen Buddhism, and made its first appearance in Japan in the 12th century.
According to Bonsai Outlet, the cradle of bonsai tree cultivation in Japan was in the Kanto region, but a terrible 8.3-magnitude earthquake devastated the region in 1923, and the bonsai business community moved its operations to the Omiya region, just outside of Tokyo. The industry took root here and the art still thrives there to this day. Although, as Bonsai Empire reports, the art has popularized and developed in other countries, like Italy, the Netherlands, and the United States, bonsai is still more closely linked to Japan, and many still consider Japanese bonsais to be of the best quality.
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