Ive just begun to make design choices and I’m at an impasse with the upper third of my Hinoki. Just below the apex there’s a stubby fork which has several good foliar branches growing from it which happens to make up nearly all of the upper backside growth. I’m open for suggestions! Seeing how foliage is a premium and lack of back budding on a Hinoki I’m hesitant to chop it off. Is it acceptable to leave or would a fork like this be considered a flaw in design? The photo highlighting the area in question is viewed from the right side of the tree. Thanks in advance for any input.
I would incorporate it into the design. Possibilities to achieve this could be as follows: 1) turn whole branch into deadwood feature, 2) partial deadwood keep the top and one of the lower laterals. Top provides depth as the foilage appears to be rear facing and the the lateral emerge from same junction and nearly fill the same space. Keep better positioned and ramified branch, may need to be wired into place, 3) develop as a secondary trunk, 4) turn into new leader and deadwood the current apex.
There are probably other ways to go about it, but that’s what jumped out at me immediately.
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Thanks for the input, greatly appreciated. Great options. Often times I need a second set of eyes to set me straight. 
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post an update, would love to see what you decide to do!
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Sure thing! I’m hoping to make decisions and get to styling this fall.
Managed to make the time to give the Hinoki its initial wire and styling. For this iteration I played it pretty safe and simply focused on giving it some shape and managing those Hinoki whorls. I still need to Jin some branches.
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Really nice! Great first iteration!
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This is looking nice!
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