The one thing I don't get from Hirose is his traditional Japanese oriented mind when it comes to foreigners, close to prejudice I would dare to say.
When he says "japanese black pines are impossible to be grown in the southern hemisphere" and I prove him wrong, it's time to understand that bonsai evolved and many Japanese species can be grown and some really thrive outside of Japan.
Akadama+River sand as the only soil mix, for instance; today every serious bonsai grower skip sand altogether, and lava, scoria, pumice and peat+perlite are widely and successfully used.
Well after this rant, I want to say that I like his advice, I respect his knowledge, and it doesn't bother me that the names of the species, pots and so on are in Japanese.
It's a good way to train the language.