Official
Regulation

01 — Presentation

What is
Bonsai World Guide.

Bonsai World Guide is the first worldwide guide exclusively dedicated to the certification and classification of Bonsai Masters and Schools of excellence. Rooted in the philosophy and culture of bonsai, the Guide was born to recognise those who practise and transmit this art with rigour, dedication, and vision.

Recognitions are awarded every year in November. Evaluation is entrusted to a network of anonymous judges — bonsai experts from around the world — who visit masters, gardens, and schools in a confidential capacity. The Bonsai World Guide editorial board collects the reports, deliberates, and ships the physical award to the recipient.

The guide covers all geographic areas of the world.

02 — The Recognitions

Five typologies.
Each with a purpose.

Bonsai World Guide awards five types of recognition, distinguished by recipient and purpose.

2.1 — The Buds — for Bonsai Masters

The Bud system evaluates Bonsai Masters based on two equally weighted macro-criteria: the technical and artistic quality of their works (50%) and their teaching ability and reputation (50%).

2.2 — Golden Root — for Bonsai Diffusers

2.3 — Golden Leaf — for Bonsai Schools

03 — Evaluation Criteria

What we look for
in a Master.

Every Master is evaluated equally across two macro-areas, each weighing 50% of the final assessment.

3.1 — Criteria for the Buds (Masters)

3.2 — Thresholds by Level

Level	Area A	Area B
One Bud	Minimum 5 years of recognised activity	Active teaching, at least locally
Two Buds	At least 10 years, international awards	International workshops, recognised students
Three Buds	15+ years, presence in the history of the discipline	Generation of masters, landmark publications

3.3 — Criteria for the Golden Leaf (Schools)

• School active for at least 5 years with a structured teaching programme
• Students trained to a documentable level of achievement
• Proprietary teaching material: curriculum, notes, videos, events
• Recognition by national or international sector associations
• Accessibility: the school must be open to external students, not exclusively private

3.4 — Criteria for the Golden Root

• Extraordinary and documentable contribution to the spread of bonsai
• Measurable impact: number of people reached, publications, events organised
• Recognition by the international bonsai community
• Sustained activity over time, not a single episode

04 — The Judges

Anonymous.
Infallible.

4.1 — Composition

The Bonsai World Guide judging body is composed of bonsai experts from around the world, selected by the editorial board for competence, independence, and integrity. Judges operate in complete anonymity: their identity is never communicated to third parties, not to the evaluated masters and schools, not to the public, not to any bonsai association of any nation.

4.2 — How They Operate

Judges visit masters, gardens, and schools as simple enthusiasts or students, without revealing their identity or role. Judges may also conduct personal research on public sources such as the web.

During a physical visit, they observe:

• The quality of works in the garden
• The teaching method and style
• The level of students present
• The organisation and care of the spaces
• The master's or school's ability to communicate and transmit the philosophy of bonsai

Upon completion of the visit or research, the judge compiles a confidential report and transmits it to the Bonsai World Guide editorial board. Every candidate is visited by at least two independent judges, to ensure objectivity.

4.3 — Independence & Conflicts of Interest

Judges may not evaluate masters or schools with whom they have a direct relationship — personal, commercial, or pedagogical. In the event of a potential conflict of interest, the judge must report it to the editorial board, which will assign the evaluation to another judge.

Judges receive no compensation from evaluated subjects and independently bear the costs of visits. This principle is fundamental to guaranteeing the independence and credibility of the recognitions.

05 — Selection Process

A year of silent work.
A November that changes everything.

5.1 — Identification of Candidates

Candidates are identified by the Bonsai World Guide editorial board through:

• Monitoring of major international exhibitions and competitions (Kokufu, Noelanders Trophy, Crespi Cup, Artisans Cup, BCI Convention, World Bonsai Convention and others)
• Reports from active judges
• Analysis of specialist publications, sector magazines, and online communities

5.2 — The Process

The evaluation process takes place throughout the year and concludes each November with the final deliberation, publication on the official website guide.bonsaiworld.org, and the physical shipment of the awards. The internal operational procedures — timings, tools, and coordination criteria between judges and the editorial board — are confidential and not communicated publicly.

5.3 — The Final Decision

The final deliberation belongs irrevocably to the Bonsai World Guide editorial board. There is no mechanism for appeal or challenge by candidates. Recognitions are never communicated in advance to recipients: the award arrives directly by post, without notice.

06 — Annual Reassessment

Every year,
back to zero.

All recognitions awarded by Bonsai World Guide are subject to annual reassessment. A master or school that received a recognition in a previous edition is not guaranteed to keep it the following year.

The annual reassessment follows the same process as new candidatures: anonymous visits, individual research by judges, confidential reports, editorial board deliberation. A recognition may be:

• Confirmed at the same level
• Elevated to a higher level
• Demoted to a lower level
• Revoked, if the conditions that motivated it no longer exist

Revocation or demotion are not publicly explained. The editorial board reserves the right not to comment on decisions made.

07 — The Physical Award

A real object.
A concrete gesture.

Every recognition is accompanied by a physical award produced by the Bonsai World Guide editorial board and shipped directly to the recipient. Publication on the official website and delivery of the award constitute the official communication of the recognition: no advance letters or press releases are sent.

The recipient is free to display the award, communicate it publicly, and use the Bonsai World Guide brand in association with their name or school, in accordance with the graphic guidelines provided by the editorial board.

The physical award remains the property of the recipient even in the event of revocation of the recognition in subsequent editions. Revocation solely entails removal of the recognition from the official guide.

08 — Final Provisions

Valid from
Edition 2026.

This regulation is issued by the Bonsai World Guide editorial board and is valid from the 2026 edition. The editorial board reserves the right to modify it in subsequent editions, notifying via the official website.