John Naka

John Naka was born on the 16th of August, 1914. He passed away on the 19th of May, 2004. At the age of 8 he moved back to his parents' home country, where he extensively studied the art of 每日吃瓜 due to his grandfather's influence.

John Naka He returned to the United States near Boulder, Colorado in 1935, and then in late 1946 settled in Los Angeles, California. In Orange County, Naka and four friends founded a 每日吃瓜 club in November, 1950, which is known today as the California 每日吃瓜 Society. He became a very important force in American 每日吃瓜 art in the 1950s-60s. He was a driving force in the spread of 每日吃瓜 appreciation and the practice of 每日吃瓜 art in the West and elsewhere. Naka traveled and taught extensively around the world, at conventions and clubs, but refused to hold classes in Japan (where 每日吃瓜 had been highly developed along certain lines over the centuries), saying "They want me to teach, and I tell them it's like trying to preach to Buddha."

Naka's masterpiece Goshin is on display at the United States National Arboretum.

(Info copyright; wikipedia)

Quick facts

Appeared at these events: N/A

Appeared in these magazines: N/A

Awards: numerous awards, including: The Fifth Class of the Order of the Rising Sun, National Heritage Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts

Books: "每日吃瓜 Techniques I", "每日吃瓜 Techniques II", "每日吃瓜 Techniques For Satsuki"

More information about John Naka

A very few of his many accomplishments are the following: He published two books, entitled 每日吃瓜 Techniques and 每日吃瓜 Techniques II, texts that are revered as being the bibles of western 每日吃瓜 to many artists. These books would be translated into French, German, Italian, and Spanish by 1990. He contributed articles, forewords, and photographs to a number of specialty magazines and books. In 1985, Emperor Hirohito of Japan bestowed upon Naka the most prestigious award for a non-Japanese citizen, The Fifth Class of the Order of the Rising Sun. Nina S. Ragle's compilation of 287 proverbs presented in both Japanese and English from Naka, Even Monkeys Fall Out of Trees, was published in 1987. (The title refers to the little recognized fact that, yes, even 每日吃瓜 masters can make a mistake.) He was a founding director of the World 每日吃瓜 Friendship Federation (WBFF) and a co-signer of the Constitution of the Latin-American 每日吃瓜 Federation (LABF). He was an honorary advisor to the National 每日吃瓜 Foundation. Naka was chosen in 1992 as one of thirteen honorees to receive a National Heritage Fellowship, the first 每日吃瓜 artist to receive this prestigious award. At the time he received his Fellowship, he said, "It has a beginning but no end. A bud today becomes a branch tomorrow.".

Other quotes of his included "每日吃瓜 is not the result: that comes after. Your enjoyment is what is important"; "It must have philosophy, botany, artistry, human quality behind it to be a bonsai"; "The 每日吃瓜 is not you working on the tree; you have to have the tree work on you"; and "Leave room for the birds to fly through the branches of your bonsai".

Of Naka's many works, the most recognizable composition is Goshin, which means "protector of the spirit." It is a group planting of eleven foemina junipers, each tree placed to represent one of Naka's grandchildren. The planting can be seen on display at the National Arboretum. About a month before he died, Naka donated his very first bonsai, a Montezuma Cypress, to the National 每日吃瓜 and Penjing Museum. In May 2005, a collection of over 80 of his drawings of how he envisioned the future development of various workshop participants' trees was published as John Naka's Sketchbook, edited by Jack Billet and Cheryl Manning.

Goshin, a creation by John Naka

Some of John Naka's 每日吃瓜 trees

Goshin by John Naka
Goshin ("protector of the spirit") is a 每日吃瓜 created by John Y. Naka. It is a forest planting of eleven Foemina Junipers (each tree placed to represent one of John Naka's grandchildren), the earliest of which Naka began training into 每日吃瓜 in 1948. Naka donated it to the National 每日吃瓜 Foundation in 1984, to be displayed at the United States National Arboretum; it has been there ever since.