Mirai Academy

Mirai Academy teaches you how to create and care for your bonsai trees. Our comprehensive best-in-class educational platform and personalized bonsai app combine into one membership to teach anyone from beginner to the most advanced bonsai professional how to design, grow, and understand the art of bonsai.

Start learning today

grow your skills.

Instruction personalized to your specific needs and skill level.

Beginner
Create a bonsai tree in one day.

What do I do? Can I do this? How do I do this? Where do I even begin?

What do I do? Can I do this? How do I do this? Where do I even begin?

Intermediate
Improve your practice.

How do I have more success? What am I doing wrong?

We show you how to keep your bonsai alive with a greater degree of health and care, and of course make them look cooler.

Advanced
Elevate your bonsai beyond possibilities.

How do I take my practice to the next level and beyond?

We’ll teach you techniques to create world class bonsai worthy of 1st place finishes.

Design. Grow. Understand.

Design. Grow. Understand.

Mirai Academy is the result of years of 1 on 1 instruction and the input of thousands of students. This is the educational tool we always wanted, answering the how and why of the art of bonsai.

Mirai Mobile is our innovative app that tells you what to do and when.

Mirai Live is our in-depth online library of graduate level bonsai education.

Sign up for free

Mirai Mobile

Key features for a successful practice.
My Trees

Track the progress of all of your trees in your garden and show off your collection to friends and family with just a few taps in the Mirai Mobile App.

Tree Detail Page

Display what current and upcoming recommended work you have for each tree.

Activity History

Log new activities for a detailed history of actions you’ve completed and when.

Personalized Gallery

Upload images after each activity to store the progression of your tree in each tree’s individual gallery.

Academy

The Academy is a curriculum of basic and advanced bonsai knowledge answering pivotal questions and explaining the “why” behind calendar activities for your tree.

Recommended Courses

View courses by season, species, trees in your collection, or by courses you’ve enrolled in. Recommended courses continue to guide your bonsai education.

Syllabus

Each course page provides details covered in the course, duration, and the teaching format.

Course Evaluation

At the end of each course test your knowledge with a course evaluation to ensure you are ready to apply the knowledge you learned to your bonsai practice.

Calendar

Species specific calendars provide step-by-step instructional videos telling you what to do with the bonsai in your collection throughout the year with timing specific to your location anywhere in the world.

Species or Tree View

View the calendar of activities by species, or customize your calendar to see current and upcoming work recommended for trees in your collection.

List View

The list view allows you to quickly view the upcoming activities with a short description to help you better prepare for the season ahead.

Activity

Selecting an activity provides a short description of work and step-by-step video to expand your understanding. All trees requiring this action are shown to make logging its completion effortless.

Track the progress of all of your trees in your garden and show off your collection to friends and family with just a few taps in the Mirai Mobile App.

Tree Detail Page

Display what current and upcoming recommended work you have for each tree.

Activity History

Log new activities for a detailed history of actions you’ve completed and when.

Personalized Gallery

Upload images after each activity to store the progression of your tree in each tree’s individual gallery.

The Academy is a curriculum of basic and advanced bonsai knowledge answering pivotal questions and explaining the “why” behind calendar activities for your tree.

Recommended Courses

View courses by season, species, trees in your collection, or by courses you’ve enrolled in. Recommended courses continue to guide your bonsai education.

Syllabus

Each course page provides details covered in the course, duration, and the teaching format.

Course Evaluation

At the end of each course test your knowledge with a course evaluation to ensure you are ready to apply the knowledge you learned to your bonsai practice.

Species specific calendars provide step-by-step instructional videos telling you what to do with the bonsai in your collection throughout the year with timing specific to your location anywhere in the world.

Species or Tree View

View the calendar of activities by species, or customize your calendar to see current and upcoming work recommended for trees in your collection.

List View

The list view allows you to quickly view the upcoming activities with a short description to help you better prepare for the season ahead.

Activity

Selecting an activity provides a short description of work and step-by-step video to expand your understanding. All trees requiring this action are shown to make logging its completion effortless.

Mirai Live

Your on-demand library of bonsai education combined with our community-driven forum allows you to connect with thousands of enthusiasts across 52 countries.

Library

Discover over 600+ videos, featuring 800+ hours of bonsai education and 114 different tree species worked. Ryan Neil and 16 additional world-renowned bonsai professionals explore hundreds of major techniques to elevate your bonsai practice.

Forum

Design, grow, and build your skills with our extensive community of bonsai enthusiasts. Ask questions, share information, show your trees, and seek the guidance of our global community. From complete novices to elite professionals, contribute to Mirai’s e

Beginners

Robust discussions on fundamental topics. Newcomers ask, advanced members offer core knowledge.
Design

All things design-related, from bonsai theory to inspirational influences. Get feedback, share process, push the bonsai form.
Horticulture

A library of horticultural information specific to the practice of bonsai — using science to maximize the health of trees.
Toolbox

Tools, equipment, supplies, garden construction, gear, handiwork — a place for “shop talk" and misc. bonsai conversations.
Resources

Updates about all things Mirai-related: F.A.Q., Mirai Live topic index, technical troubleshooting and scheduling info.

Instructors

Ryan Neil

As an apprentice to the world renowned Japanese bonsai master Masahiko Kimura, Ryan was one of the first westerners to complete a full apprenticeship in Japan. Following his horticultural education and formal training, Ryan has dedicated himself to using bonsai to raise awareness of conservation across Europe and North America and continues to be a foremost authority on the art of bonsai in the western world.

Young Choe

Young’s formal training in kusamono comes under the tutelage of Master Yamane of Japan. Her expanded education and work with the seed bank and other international institutions at the National Arboretum in Washington D.C. make her an incredibly well trained authority on native plants in North America and the foremost authority in the art of kusamono in the West.

Todd Schlafer

A musician and graphic designer by trade, Todd comes by his artistry and intrinsic understanding of design intuitively. Transferring his determination and mastery of art to the bonsai endeavor, he has become the most successful North American trained bonsai professional currently active, and an expert on Rocky Mountain native species as bonsai.

Ryan Neil

As an apprentice to the world renowned Japanese bonsai master Masahiko Kimura, Ryan was one of the first westerners to complete a full apprenticeship in Japan. Following his horticultural education and formal training, Ryan has dedicated himself to using bonsai to raise awareness of conservation across Europe and North America and continues to be a foremost authority on the art of bonsai in the western world.

Young Choe

Young’s formal training in kusamono comes under the tutelage of Master Yamane of Japan. Her expanded education and work with the seed bank and other international institutions at the National Arboretum in Washington D.C. make her an incredibly well trained authority on native plants in North America and the foremost authority in the art of kusamono in the West.

Todd Schlafer

A musician and graphic designer by trade, Todd comes by his artistry and intrinsic understanding of design intuitively. Transferring his determination and mastery of art to the bonsai endeavor, he has become the most successful North American trained bonsai professional currently active, and an expert on Rocky Mountain native species as bonsai.

“ Brilliant education program. I love the way you all interact, makes me feel like I’m in the room. ”
David, Australia
“ I never knew there was a dimension in bonsai quite like the one you bring. Thanks for my weekly hit of nature. ”
Susan, Canada
“ Learned more from Mirai than any book or teacher in doing bonsai on and off for 15 years. Am so grateful. ”
Karl, Germany
“ I couldn’t be more impressed. Mirai is the answer to my search for basic and advanced information that breaks all bonsai myths. ”
Patrick, U.S.
“ This allows me to advance my skills affordably and on my schedule. Invaluable! ”
Prerna, India

Start Your Practice

Sign up for free for the first 7 days. Cancel anytime.

Basic

$9.99 / mo.
auto-recurring charge
Start free with Basic

Mirai Live Access:

  • Build your bonsai skills with Mirai’s revolutionary livestreams.
  • Unlimited HD streaming of every live stream, lesson, and feature video in the library.
  • Tune in live or re-watch on your desktop, mobile, or tablet device.
  • Expert instruction by Ryan Neil and other renowned professionals.
  • Connect with the community on the Mirai forum.

Mirai Mobile Access:

  • Daily Tips
  • One General Care Calendar in the “Calendar” section. Choose from Pine, Juniper, Broadleaf or Elongating Species
  • Add and track up to 10 trees in the “My Trees” section - 2 photos per tree
  • Access to all General Care Academy courses and limited beginner courses.

Standard

$17.99 / mo.
auto-recurring charge
Start free with Standard

Mirai Live Access:

  • Build your bonsai skills with Mirai’s revolutionary livestreams.
  • Unlimited HD streaming of every live stream, lesson, and feature video in the library.
  • Tune in live or re-watch on your desktop, mobile, or tablet device.
  • Expert instruction by Ryan Neil and other renowned professionals.
  • Connect with the community on the Mirai forum.

Mirai Mobile Access:

  • Daily Tips
  • Access to all General Care Calendars, Pine, Juniper, Broadleaf and Elongating Species
  • Add and track up to 25 trees in the “My Trees” section - 15 photos per tree
  • Access to all General Care Academy courses and 101 level beginner courses.

Pro

$29.99 / mo.
auto-recurring charge
Start free with Pro

Mirai Live Access:

  • Everything included with Standard, plus…
  • Interact and ask questions with the Live Chat function during streams.
  • Join the monthly lecture with Live Q&A addressing all of your bonsai questions, and bi-monthly Forum Q+As for practitioners in different time zones.
  • Exclusive Pro videos to advance your bonsai education to the next level.
  • Critiques to help you build your display and composition skills.
  • Ask questions, get answers in an exclusive forum group for Pro members.
  • Unlimited HD streaming of the entire video library including live streams, past Q+As, and design-focused critiques.

Mirai Mobile Access:

  • Everything included with Standard, plus…
  • Tracking of 75 trees, up to 20 images per tree in the “My Trees” section, additional tree capacity available as an upgrade.
  • Full access to Academy Courses.
  • First access to new feature launches.