For bonsai fertilizer jugs, their spout shape is the most critical design feature, to allow a small amount of liquid fertilizer to be poured into the pot of bonsai little by little. The curved line of water gracefully flowing into the pot from a bonsai fertilizer jug, is like silhouette of a crane from its long neck to beak. Combined with its excellent functionality, this Zenkei bonsai fertilizer jug makes you want to call it a craft.The fertilizer jug is made by cutting a polished copper plate to fit the mold, hammering out and shaping all the curves with a small hammer, and soldering to create the main body. After that, we scrape off the excess solder from the connection part and moisten it. The surface is polished by applying sand with a scrubber-like tool made of bundles of rice straw. Furthermore, the entire surface is boiled in Bang (copper sulfate solution), to create this unique texture. If you handle it with bare hands, the parts you have touched would discolor, so we take the utmost care when handling it. This item was created by the second son of Chojusai Matsumura, who was known as a famous copper craftsman during the Meiji and Taisho eras. He was a well-trained craftsman, but since he passed away, passing down of the technique has ceased unfortunately, and there are only a few of the Zenkein bonsai fertilizer jugs remaining today.
