Nguồn: Tạp chí Bonsai Focus English Edition T9/T10 2016
Dịch và biên tập: Dũng Cá Xinh (15/08/2021)
English
The return of the jita: A jita is not just a wooden slate under your bonsai…
- Text: Peter Warren – Photography Kinbon Japan
The Japanese have a deep respect and a very long tradition in fine wood works. Bonsai display is a discipline with very strickt rules which tolerates only the best materials. All elements to accompany a bonsai are chosen with the greatest care. The so-called jita or wooden slate should have just the right shape finishing. Mr. Ota from Japan shows us around in his workshop were the jitas are being made.
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The Chinese Quince wood for these jiitas was imported from South East Asia into Japan many years ago and has been drying out for decades. In the past it was a realtively abundant material and easy to get hold of but recently it has become more and more scarce, with many countries placing a ban on the exportation.
Speaking to the timber merchants they tell us, “In the past we were able to get pieces 2 metres wide without a problem. Now such pieces are impossible to find. If it wasn’t for the fact that we created a massive stockpile of material, it would be impossible to make these natural edges jiitas
Most of the Jiitas are made from the burr wood, a rounded out- growth on the tree caused by insect or infestation damage. The burr is sliced through so that the natural, uneven edge is kept intact giving a ji-ita with a natural and interesting shaped edge. Cutting such large pieces with care and attention to detail re- quires a specialist timber yard with very specific equipment as well as an eye for interesting patterns within the wood. Once cut, the boards are smoothed and finished with varnish.
