"Ray Sparvell was born in the UK and has lived in Australia since 1970. He has worked as a journalist and public relations professional with writing always at the core of his daily working life. In 1999 he entered an undergraduate course in creative writing at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia. Koji Yamashita's reflections are the result of this tertiary study. Ray is currently writing a companion novel titled "he Bonsai Master" which expands upon the life and passion of Koji Yamashita. Ray plans further projects with Yamashita-san including: growing bonsai guides; a series of videos/cds and; a collaboration on a haiku poetry collection.

I created Koji Yamashita in March 2000 when I visited Japan on a research project. I had not gone there to specifically study bonsai, but our paths crossed as they sometimes do in the world of fiction when you are looking for that missing piece of a puzzle. I was immediately impressed by him, but at the same time somewhat reserved. I was afraid that I might be projecting onto him my need for the archetypal "master": someone who is gentle, kind, wise, with a quiet manner, but with a ready laugh. He certainly had all those characteristics and his relationship with his students reinforced that. I was honoured to get to know Yamashita-san beyond his "master" role. He wouldn't mind me sharing with you that in his "secular" life he is a fan of cricket and has a prized collection of Wisden almanacs. He also voraciously devours and relishes the gunfighter yarns of Louis L'amour and is a fan of the crime noir genre. As a recipient of Yamashita-san's generous hospitality I can also inform you that he enjoys a cup or two of sake, the odd beer and performs a great karaoke version of "My Way". Yamashita-san is modest about his own abilities, but the relationship he has with his prized bonsai and with his prized students is something to behold. He certainly coaxes the best out of plant and student."