I was born in the United States, but spent my early years in Japan - through junior high school - and returned in 1957.

My first encounter with bonsai was in 1959, working side-by-side with my father, Shigeru, learning the techniques of making bonsai. I watched him work with many different kinds of trees, pruning, wiring, shaping and potting. I was homesick, and the bonsai reminded me of the trees in the mountains, hills and shorelines of Japan. I thoroughly fell in love with bonsai. My education in bonsai also included attending classes under John Naka.

In 1965, with the encouragement of Mr. Iura, my fathers’ bonsai master, my parents opened the Fuji Bonsai Nursery in Sylmar, California, where my father and I conduct bonsai classes.

In 1975, I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Ornamental Horticulture from the Cal Poly University in Pomona, California. Also in 1975, I received my State Landscape Contractors’ License, and started a landscape contracting business.

In 1976, I gave my first lecture/demonstration to a local bonsai club. Since then, I have toured and conducted workshops and lecture/demonstrations in numerous states in the continental United States. Major events in which I have been featured include the following:

California Bonsai Society Anniversary Conventions

Golden State Bonsai Federation Conventions

Potomac Bonsai Federation Conventions

Pacific Northwest Bonsai Federation Conventions

Texas, Lone Star Bonsai Federation Lecture Tour and Annual Convention

Mid-Atlantic Bonsai Festivals

ABS Convention

IBC Convention

Florida Bonsai Societies Convention

Brussell Nursery Spring Rendezvous

International Bonsai Arboretum, Bonsai Symposium

International Tours include:

South Africa, 1991, 1993 IBC ‘95, Australia, 1995

Toronto, Canada, 1993 Latin America Bonsai Conference, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1996

Victoria, B.C., Canada, 1993 Mexico City, Mexico, 1998

I taught beginner and advanced bonsai for four years at the Community College in Santa Barbara, Ca.

I was credited for creating bonsai for a major motion picture, Karate Kid III, in 1990, and was also involved in a bonsai educational video professionally produced by Puget Sound Bonsai Association, with funding provided by Weyerhaeuser Company of Tacoma, Washington.

I am the President of the California Bonsai Society, and was Chairman of the 40th Anniversary Convention, held in the Spring of 1997.