Focus Japan

Screening of NHK documentary films on Japan’s history, literature, art, culture and heritage. Organised with the support of NHK World and Embassy of Japan, New Delhi

Bonsai: Nature in a Pot (25 min; 2020; English)

The living art of Bonsai is derived from an ancient Chinese horticultural practice, part of which was then redeveloped under the influence of Japanese Zen Buddhism. The word “Bon-sai” (often misspelled as bonzai or banzai) is a Japanese term which, literally translated, means “planted in a container”. What is behind the art of cultivating trees into aesthetically pleasing shapes in containers rather than allowing nature to take its course?  The film explores the essence of the Japanese spirit as reflected in the art of bonsai