But to watch these beautiful miniature plants float in the air is even more amazing. Thanks to the creativity of the Tokyo-based Hoshinchu team who launched the Kickstarter campaign, the Air Bonsai has successfully levitated.
Magnetic levitation is what keeps the mini-plants floating in mid-air. This technique has been used for suspending food, toys, and other things in the air, and now the same technique is used to make the bonsai stand out even more.
The Little Star, which is the portion of the Air Bonsai that floats or is suspended in mid-air has a diameter of more or less 2.4 inches and a weight capacity of around 11 ounces. It’s composed of a magnetic core that’s covered with sponge and contains some moss and soil in which the bonsai is planted. If you prefer a tiny pot to the moss ball, you may also opt for it but for an extra cost. The pot would be made of a lava rock.
The Air Bonsai kit also comes with a hand-brushed and handmade porcelain, which usually takes more than a couple or even three months to create and decorate. For the cushion, Air Bonsai features century-old Japanese fabric used to accessorize the porcelain. The great thing about Air Bonsai is that each cushion is uniquely made.
Apart from the Little Star, an Air Bonsai kit also comes with an energy base that keeps the plant floating and rotating. The Little Star can float about a couple of inches from its energy base. The Little Star and the energy base have the same magnetic poles so they tend to repel, which keeps the plant suspended in mid-air.
Pledging at least a couple of hundred dollars on Kickstarter would entitle you to an Air Bonsai kit. It would also help the developers of this wonderful creation showcase their product on the road. If you pledged a higher amount, your kit would also include a plant. The team initially aimed at receiving $80,000 in donations but has now exceeded their target. Due to export policies, though, some plants may not originally come from Japan but from the recipient’s country or you’ll have to purchase your own plant then just put it in the Little Star that comes with your kit.
So if you’re looking for something unique, beautiful, refreshing, small, and levitating to accessorize your home or office desk with, then pledging for an Air Bonsai is something you may want to consider. After all, it’s always good to have some floating plants around to remind you of how beautiful nature is, especially when it’s a miniature and floating version of the nature’s vast and breathtaking grandeur.