The following tree was a large Shimpaku (Juniperus chinensis) I worked on towards the end of my first stay at Taisho-en, Japan.
Before the majority of the work (first branch wired)
It is a tanuki (or phoenix graft) which had a couple of issues.
The first problem was that the grafted foliage was of a very large and coarse variety which at the time of styling was not particularly popular with buyers in Japan. They were more interested in the fine dense foliage of the itoigawa shimpaku from the Niagata region and similar fine shimpaku varieties.
The other problem was that the live veins were not entirely convincing in how they were attached to the deadwood.
Having said that I still feel that the tree ended up an impressive bonsai and I am proud that I was allowed to have an imput into the tree future.
After many hours wiring
Nichigo Bonsai 
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November 5, 2010 at 12:14 AM
Sam Edge
A very nice Juniper. When did you work on this tree?
November 5, 2010 at 12:57 AM
bonsaijapan
Hi Sam,
I worked on this tree around June of 2007. I was back at the nursey around the same time in 2009 and the tree had gone. I am guessing sold. I would have like to have seen how it had grown into its styling but it was not to be. Perhaps it will surface sometime in the future and i will get to see it.
Thanks for the comment.
November 10, 2010 at 7:15 AM
sam
when a tanuki such as this is sold, is the buyer told what he is buying?
November 10, 2010 at 9:54 PM
bonsaijapan
Hi Sam,
Interesting question. I have limited knowledge of the subject outside the nursery i was working in.
This tree was bought as Tanuki and would have been sold as Tanuki. Tanuki bonsai seemed to fetch lower prices than “genuine” live veins although i think you will agree the results can quite often be just as spectacular.
November 11, 2010 at 5:33 AM
sam
thanks for the response. because tanuki as nice as they may be, are not considered to be “real”, they usually fetch lower prices.
I have to say that I am surprised that a Japanese bonsai nursery even handles tanuki material. I always believed tanuki in Japan was considered to be a serious no no.
I learn something new