Twin trunk: one base, two leaders
Sokan usually presents two trunks arising from a shared root base. Vary their height and thickness so they do not compete as equals; the smaller trunk often supports the dominant one. Their divergence should feel natural at the base, with branch placement reinforcing depth.
Clump: several trunks, shared roots
Kabudachi uses multiple stems emerging from a common base. A believable clump has variation in trunk size, height and position, while maintaining a readable group silhouette. Repeated spacing or a line of equal stems can make it look like a hedge rather than an old grove.
Raft: a fallen trunk becomes the source
Ikadabuki suggests a trunk lying along the soil, with branches from that trunk becoming upright stems. It requires suitable material and long-term root and branch development. The horizontal source trunk must remain healthy enough to support the emerging trees.
Design before counting
These forms differ in origin, not just stem count. Confirm whether trunks share a base, arise from a fallen trunk or are separate plants before naming the style. This distinction changes how the tree is developed and what the viewer should see at ground level.
Historical archive record