Roy was born in the United States, but spent his early years in Japan - through junior high school - and returned in 1957.
His first encounter with bonsai was in 1959, working side-by-side with his father, Shigeru, learning the techniques of making bonsai. He watched him work with different types of trees, pruning, wiring, shaping and potting. Roy had become homesick for Japan, and the bonsai reminded him of the trees in the mountains, hills, and shorelines of Japan. He thoroughly fell in love with bonsai. His education in bonsai also included attending classes under John Naka.
In 1965, with the encouragement of Mr. Iura, Shigeru's bonsai master, Roy's parents opened the Fuji Bonsai Nursery in Sylmar, California, where Roy and his father conduct bonsai classes.
Roy received a Bachelor of Science degree in Ornamental Horticulture from the Cal Poly University in Pomona, California. Also in 1975, Roy received his State Landscape Contractor's License and started a landscape contracting business.
In 1976, Roy gave his first lecture/demonstration to a local bonsai club. Since then, he has toured and conducted workshops and lecture/demonstrations in numerous states in the continental United States. Major events in which Roy has been featured include the following:
California Bonsai Society Anniversary Conventions
Golden State Bonsai Federation Conventions
Potomac Bonsai Federation Conventions
Pacific Northwest Bonsai Federation Conventions
Texas, Lone Star Bonsai Federation Lecture Tour and Annual Convention
Mid-Atlantic Bonsai Festivals
ABS Convention
IBC Convention
Florida Bonsai Societies Convention
Brussell Nursery Spring Rendezvous
International Bonsai Arboretum, Bonsai Symposium
International Tours include:
South Africa, 1991
1993 IBC ‘95 Australia
1995
Toronto, Canada
1993 Latin America Bonsai Conference
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1996
Victoria, B.C., Canada 1993
Mexico City, Mexico, 1998
World Bonsai Federation Convention, in April, 1989, in Omiya, Japan.
Roy has taught beginner and advanced bonsai for four years at the Community College in Santa Barbara, Ca.
He was credited for creating bonsai for a major motion picture, Karate Kid III, in 1990, and was also involved in a bonsai educational video professionally produced by Puget Sound Bonsai Association, with funding provided by Weyerhaeuser Company of Tacoma, Washington.
Roy is currently President of the California Bonsai Society, and was Chairman of the 40th Anniversary Convention, held in the Spring of 1997.
First priority for attending these sessions will be given to members of Green Country Bonsai. A limited number of session spaces will be available to the general public. For information about attending this workshop, please send an e-mail to Workshop Attendance Information.