Have you ever come across a beautifully colored, picture book-worthy mushroom while walking in the woods or the park? I still remember the flashy fungi I happened upon when I was in seventh grade; I was near a mountain biking course in Rhode Island and amid the grass was a cute yellow mushroom with red dots, much like a Mega Mushroom from New Super Mario Bros. I considered picking it but I was pretty sure my fingers would start to rot off upon contact, and it would have shriveled up soon enough anyway. Oh, I wondered, will the days of ornamental mushrooms never come?
Enter Takuto Shibuya, whose life-long love of toadstools compelled him to find a way to marvel at their variegated beauty at home. His book Kinoko (Mushroom) Bonsai, released back in June, includes photos of his work as well as instructions on how to make your own. But wait—this type of bonsai isn’t about replanting your find in a pot. Because mushrooms are difficult to take care of, Shibuya took a hint from the Japanese traditions of bonsai and figurines and decided to preserve their alluring forms by recreating them in clay. Read on to take a closer look at his creations as well as his process!
▼ His work on display at a natural foods store.
27-year-old Shibuya started to develop an interest in mushrooms during kindergarten, when he recognized a mushroom (the “suppontake”, or common stinkhorn) in the park as one he had seen in an illustrated encyclopedia. Now, he enjoys exploring wooded areas after rainfall to admire fungi in the wild and find new inspiration. Let’s first take a look at some of the weirdly wonderful, real-life mushrooms he has found:
▼ A “tamagotake” (Amanita hemibapha). The cap on the far right was larger than his hand!
▼ A juvenile “tengutake” (Amanita pantherina) on the left, and a mature one on the right.
▼ A young egg-shaped “beni-tengutake” (Amanita muscaria) on the left, and a flat-topped “kihidatake” (Phylloporus bellus) on the right.
Though he says that his figures are no match to the beautiful forms found in nature, he models mushrooms of many textures out of clay and arranges them in various containers in an attempt to capture their essence. Instead of veering towards cuteness, he strives for realism even when the end results seem a bit drab when compared to exotic flowers.
▼ These are handmade, not the ones he found outside!
But every once in a while, he strays from reality and has fun with bonsai in a way that only figurines will allow, by making the fungi grow from unlikely places such as empty cans:
Now let’s switch over to his Twitter feed, which is regularly updated with his current projects.
▼ The slimy “kinumerigasa” (Hygrophorus lucorum), its sheen achieved by a coat of clear resin.
カサのアップ。本当は地面にカラマツの葉を敷きつめたかったのですが、無かったのでゴヨウマツの葉で代用しました。 pic.twitter.com/Lhd8qypVJO
— 渋谷卓人 (@kinoko_bonsai) July 8, 2014
▼ A more mature “beni-tengutake” (Amanita muscaria).
きのこ盆栽「ベニテングタケ」が完成しました。 pic.twitter.com/juDhf4Ewwq
— 渋谷卓人 (@kinoko_bonsai) June 15, 2014
▼ A representation of the edible “hiratake” (Pleurotus ostreatus).
きのこ盆栽「ヒラタケ」がやっと完成しました! pic.twitter.com/AJzNnbBC7q
— 渋谷卓人 (@kinoko_bonsai) June 26, 2014
▼ Definitely looks good enough to eat!
ヒラタケのカサの色は、悩んだ挙げ句、結局クリーム色となりました。 pic.twitter.com/uPCpiguUyP
— 渋谷卓人 (@kinoko_bonsai) June 26, 2014
These following photos give us a glimpse of Shibuya’s work process, as he shapes and paints his bonsai.
▼ The beginning of his “saketsubatake” (Stropharia rugosoannulata) bonsai.
引き続き、きのこ盆栽のサケツバタケを製作中。まだ真っ白な状態なので、サケツバタケの面影は殆どありません。 pic.twitter.com/58BOkj0MNn
— 渋谷卓人 (@kinoko_bonsai) July 5, 2014
▼ After the clay dries, layers of paint are thinly applied.
カサに続いて、柄の塗装。さび色でぼかし塗装をおこないました。 pic.twitter.com/wQEZatm3RG
— 渋谷卓人 (@kinoko_bonsai) July 5, 2014
▼ Here, he compares his work in progress to a photo in a reference book. The gills were carefully produced with a craft knife.
図鑑と比較しながら塗装作業。だんだんサケツバタケっぽくなってきました。 pic.twitter.com/keq0wbcG8M
— 渋谷卓人 (@kinoko_bonsai) July 5, 2014
▼In its final form, growing from a pretty coffee cup.
うしろからの姿。 #きのこ盆栽 pic.twitter.com/YI8ldGJ3XB
— 渋谷卓人 (@kinoko_bonsai) July 12, 2014
Takuto Shibuya’s book is available on Amazon.co.jp for 1,620 yen (US$15.09). Given the popularity of Nameko mushrooms in Japan as well as the country’s penchant for turning trends into gashapon toys, maybe miniature lifelike mushrooms will wind up in a capsule toy machine one of these days?
Sources: Japaaan Magazine, Twitter
Images: Amazon.co.jp, Twitter, Kinoko no Jikan
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