Japanese Consul joins packed Toronto bonsai demonstration by master Hiramatsu Koji

A packed auditorium at Toronto Botanical Garden gave Toronto bonsai fans something they rarely get in one room: a live demonstration by Koji Hiramatsu, a visiting master from Takamatsu, Japan, with Consul-General Matsunaga among the guests. The Toronto Bonsai Society framed the April 13 program as a one-night-only chance to see authentic Japanese bonsai design, technique and artistic thinking up close, and the turnout showed how strong the draw was.

The evening, billed as “An Evening with Koji Hiramatsu - LIVE IN TORONTO,” included a demonstration, Q&A, networking and a panel tree review. Hiramatsu was joined for the review by Canadian bonsai expert Gerald Rainville, Toronto Bonsai Society president Josh and programming director Mike R., giving attendees a rare look at how a tree is evaluated from multiple perspectives. For many in the room, that was the practical payoff: not just watching a master work, but hearing how styling choices, structure and refinement are discussed in real time.

The Toronto Bonsai Society said it is one of the largest bonsai clubs outside Japan and regularly brings in a master from North America, Europe or Japan at least once a year for lectures, demonstrations and workshops. This year’s Koji Hiramatsu visit stretched beyond the evening program, with a shimpaku workshop on April 11 and a BYOT workshop on April 12 before the public demonstration on April 13 at 777 Lawrence Avenue East. The schedule turned the weekend into a concentrated study session for growers who wanted more than a single stage show.

Hiramatsu brought serious credentials to the room. Born on December 23, 1967, he is the fourth-generation owner of Hiramatsu Shunsho-en, also known as Hiramatsu Syunsyoen, in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture. He began pursuing bonsai in 1990 and has taught and demonstrated internationally across the U.S., Australia, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, China and Canada. His work has earned organizing committee chair prizes at the Nippon Bonsai Sakufuten in 2017 and 2019, and he serves as a standing director of the All Japan Shohin-Bonsai Association.

Toronto’s bonsai scene has also drawn consular attention before. In October 2025, the Consulate-General of Japan in Toronto highlighted the Toronto Japanese Garden Club’s 73rd annual Fall Flower and Bonsai Exhibition, noting that the club was founded in 1952 and has helped popularize Japanese bonsai and ikebana in the region. Toronto Botanical Garden, which offers free admission and 17 themed gardens, has become a familiar hub for that activity, and the Hiramatsu weekend reinforced its place as a key meeting ground for the city’s bonsai community.