I was reading your message from feb about your trident. I also recently purchased one here in Japan from a nursery in Omiya. Beautiful little trunk. I repotted it in the spring, it was really root-bound. Unfortunately when everything budded, the lowest 3 branches did not bud or develop leaves!

Any ideas? Did I overdo the root pruning? Any chance of the limbs coming back? The remaining part of the tree is doing well, though I am getting some browning on some of the leaves that may be due to overheating in direct sun....

By the way, any pics of your shohin trident in leaf?

Any thought about the branch die-back?
Thanks

Peter