We restyle a Japanese Black Pine whose trunk was bent in April. Nearly all branches are removed to create Jin, and Raffia and Copper Wire are applied to the one remaining branch to begin shaping the tree's form. Postponing irreversible decisions as long as possible, we trace together how to approach a Japanese Black Pine in September — the judgments made and the hands-on work that follows.
A Japanese Black Pine whose trunk was bent in April. To restyle this tree, nearly all its branches will be removed. Only one remains — the plan is to build the entire form from that single branch.
The bark of the branches to be jinned is crushed and stripped away with Jin Pliers. The brown outer bark is carefully removed until the white wood beneath is exposed. Leave them longer at first — you can always shorten later. Irreversible decisions are postponed as long as possible. That one principle quietly sustains the work.
What remained was just one branch — a single, precious branch.
To pull it downward, Raffia is first applied for protection. Wrap in the same direction as the intended bend. The junction between the base and branch is reinforced further with a figure-eight wrap. Because the Cambium Layer is prone to peeling in September, wrap evenly and firmly. Copper Wire is then layered on top, in the same direction.
After removing 60–70% of the branches, water management changes. If the soil is slow to dry, tilt the pot to encourage drying. It may go unnoticed, but daily observation is indispensable.
Jin lasts longer when kept dry. Each decision made today will quietly return its answer the next time the tree pushes new buds.
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