Toronto Bonsai Society 40th Anniversary Series Tosh Kitagawa Bridged Generations by David Johnson In the April 2004 TBS Journal, the second article in this series introduced Kensuke Takata and his pioneering influences on bonsai development in the Toronto area. As one of the first to introduce people to bonsai, Mr. Takata was also a teacher who touched many, including Tosh Kitagawa. Tosh Kitagawa was born on June 2, 1925 in Fraser Mills, British Columbia near New Westminster, one of ten children. Like other Japanese Canadians, Mr. Kitagawa was interned during World War II. He stayed at a camp in Kaslo, B.C. In 1942 his family moved to the St. Catharines area where, as a young man, Mr. Kitagawa worked at the E.D. Smith nursery and cannery. In 1946, the Kitagawa family moved to Toronto. According to Tosh Kitagawa, Kensuke Takata, who lived nearby in east-end Toronto, taught him about bonsai. They met at a party at Mr. Takata's home in the early 1960s after a spirited softball game between Japanese Americans and Japanese Canadians. During the party, Kensuke Takata invited Tosh Kitagawa to see the bonsai in his backyard. Tsurukichi Kusano, the third member of the soon-to-be trio, also invited Mr. Kitagawa to view his trees. Together, the trio worked on bonsai and discussed the philosophy of bonsai. Mr. Kitagawa said that "bonsai is like a religion," a deep devotion to the trees. Mr. Kitagawa explained that this devotion originated with the earliest bonsai growers in Japan. Buddhist monks would collect old trees in the wild and admire their weather-influenced appearance. The three concepts in bonsai philosophy are heaven, humanity and earth. Heaven is represented by the top of the tree which is always bending forward, like someone bowing and showing respect. Humanity is represented by the most important branch of the tree. Earth is represented by the soil. During the early years (1960s) of the Toronto Bonsai Society, Tosh Kitagawa was an active club member who also served on the executive. As vice-president in charge of exhibits, he directed the placement of the trees for display in shows. Mr. Kitagawa remembered that in the beginning, the TBS was like a private club with about six people meeting every Monday night at someone's home. These club pioneers included Mr. Mamoru Nishi, Wilma Swain, Jim Campbell, Sid Page and Tosh Kitagawa. Later, TBS meetings moved to the Civic Garden Centre. Mr. Kitagawa travelled to bonsai clubs in Hamilton, Brantford and Oshawa where he gave lectures and did demonstrations. At one of these demonstrations, he gave a birch group planting to a Mrs. Fredericks and was surprised to see the same planting growing so well about ten years later. Mr. Kitagawa also remembered one couple who took their ten or so bonsai with them when they went on a two-week summer holiday to the Maritimes. On occasion, Mr. Kitagawa was invited to dig up bonsai material at a friend's nursery. Some of the field-grown trees had defects or were considered "bad" ones that could not be sold for landscaping. He said that these "bad" trees sometimes made the best bonsai. Norman Haddrick, former TBS president and active member, related the influence of Tosh Kitagawa on his own early bonsai experience: The event with Tosh, was a Club 'bring your own tree' workshop, in about 1968 or '69. I had scoured local nurseries for an inexpensive plant, eventually taking the suggestion from another Club member, Hans Vlemming, a horticulturist at Endean Nurseries, to visit his place. The plant I finally chose was a Euonymus fortunei, which is actually a vine, but it had a 1 inch or so thick base and great taper, and a cascading movement, with many side branches and shoots for the future design. It was this plant, and an appropriate pot, that I proudly took to my first workshop. Tosh went through the assembled group, suggesting shapes, pruning cuts, wiring, etc. When It came to my turn, Tosh examined my little plant, and said, very kindly, "put it into the ground for 5 years and let it grow." In retrospect, that simple experience positively reshaped my perspective of bonsai. Tosh Kitagawa's influence on Norman Haddrick reflected the role Mr. Kitagawa had in linking the first generation of bonsai artists from the Japanese Canadian community to bonsai artists from subsequent generations. Mr. Kitagawa worked as a union electrician and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. In 1987, Mr. Kitagawa got injured at work and could no longer look after his bonsai. He planted them in the ground, returning them to nature. Other interests developed and the trees remained in the ground. Today, Tosh Kitagawa is enjoying his retirement as a husband, father of four and grandfather. Mr. Kitagawa said that the TBS was quite small in its formative years. A small group can have its charm and a few club members wanted it to remain that way. There were others, including Tosh Kitagawa, who wanted to open up the club and make bonsai more accessible to the public. The path that Tosh Kitagawa had envisioned was the one chosen by the Toronto Bonsai Society.