You’ve likely seen the film The Karate Kid, which, believe it or not, played a significant role in popularizing bonsai art in the West. In the film, Mr. Miyagi, the mentor of the main character Daniel, uses bonsai trees as a means to teach patience, precision, and inner balance—key elements both for bonsai and for karate. The scenes where Mr. Miyagi gently shapes and tends to the bonsai trees have become iconic, introducing a broad audience to this ancient Japanese art and inspiring many to begin their own journey with bonsai.
Mr. Miyagi and Daniel LaRusso in the movie Karate Kid - Picture credit IMDB
Daniel-san may be a fictional character, but Toni Adžić, the founder of the Vino & Bonsai workshop, is certainly real. Since 2017, he has been practicing bonsai art as a hobby. When he first started, he had no access to information on how to create bonsai trees and wasn't sure how to begin. Believe it or not, the art of bonsai technique was not very present in Croatia, which brings us to the question: why and how bonsai? In response to this question, Toni mentioned that he was fortunate because a friend’s brother, Zoran Pavlov, is one of the pioneers of bonsai art in Croatia. Zoran taught Toni everything he knows.
Toni Adžić (founder of the Vino & Bonsai workshop) - Picture credit Vino & Bonsai
From the very beginning, bonsai art has become a way of expressing oneself and connecting with nature. Without prior knowledge or resources, luck had it that Toni’s path led him to Zoran Pavlov, a man who is not only a master of bonsai technique but also a passionate mentor. His teachings and guidance formed the foundation on which Toni built his skills and love for this unique art form.
Bonsai Tree Care - Picture credot Vino & Bonsai
How are Adžić wines connected to the art of bonsai?
T: "As for wine, my family has been involved in production since 1995. Adžić Winery has built its brand over this period, and I wanted to connect it with bonsai in my own way. This led to the idea of the Vino & Bonsai workshop."
Viticulture is deeply rooted in the Adžić family, and the winery has been producing top-quality wines for nearly three decades, recognized and valued throughout Croatia and beyond. The combination of a passion for wine and a newly discovered love for bonsai art led to the creation of an innovative and unique workshop—Vino & Bonsai—aimed at merging two arts that require dedication, precision, and a love for detail.
Vino Adžić Lucija Rose and Bonsai tree - Picture credit Vino & Bonsai
How Did It All Begin?
T: "In the spring of 2023, I started the Vino & Bonsai workshops, and I was truly surprised by the level of interest in Zagreb and across Croatia. Soon after a few workshops, people from various cities in Croatia began contacting me, inquiring if I would ever hold a workshop in their city."
Even during the early workshops, it was clear that the interest in bonsai art was exceptionally high. People were enthusiastic about the idea of combining a bonsai workshop with the tasting of premium wines. The enthusiasm of the participants and their desire to learn and create were incentives to expand the workshops beyond Zagreb.
Who Are the Workshops For?
T: "The workshop is designed for beginners, where each participant first learns some basic concepts about bonsai, including the techniques we use and the principles we follow, during the theoretical part of the workshop. After that, we move to the practical part, where we style, transplant, and transform a chosen plant into a bonsai. All of this is done while tasting selected wines from Adžić Winery, and after the workshop, each participant takes home the bonsai they have created."
Bonsai Tree Cutting Tools - Picture credit Vino & Bonsai
Given the mentioned interest from various cities, do you plan to hold workshops outside of Zagreb?
T: "This year, I held a few workshops in Split and one in Rijeka. My plan is to visit other cities in the fall, such as Zadar, Osijek, and Pula, and continue to hold workshops there throughout the year, alongside the existing workshops in Zagreb. The goal is to provide as many people as possible with the opportunity to experience this unique combination of wine and bonsai art."
Bonsai Tree Care - Picture credit Vino & Bonsai
The culmination of all the workshops will be an exhibition of bonsai trees created by the participants themselves. Scheduled for November, this exhibition will provide an opportunity to showcase the effort and talent of the participants to the public and to collectively admire the beauty of their creations.
For more information about the workshops and upcoming events, visit the website www.vinoibonsai.com or follow their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.
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