Culture & Tradition Archives - Page 2 of 4

Kasagake at Kamigamo on October 16th

October 13, 2011 By Michael Lambe

Deer-skinned horse riders deciding their turn by lottery

John Dougill writes,

There were traditionally three styles of horseback archery carried out for the entertainment of the kami. The most well-known is Yabusame, in which galloping riders shoot at a fixed target. Much rarer is Kasagake, to be performed this Sunday at Kamigamo Jinja. The other style involved firing at live dogs: thank goodness, it’s no longer practised.

There is mention of Kasagake being carried out at Kamigamo Shrine some eight hundred years ago. Previously it had simply been a martial art, designed to improve battle skills. Legend has it that it began with Emperor Jimmu who used his helmet as a target. It was adapted as a shrine entertainment, and then died out.

In 2004 Kamigamo revived the ritual, and it is carried out by the Takeda-ryu school of horseback archers. Among the riders are descendants of the Kamo clan, who settled the Kyoto basin in pre-Heian times. The event begins and ends with the banging of a drum, following which a procession of colourfully costumed officials gather for a purification ceremony. The head rider then performs a Heaven and Earth ritual, by circling his horse first to the left and then to the right to summon yin-yang forces, before aiming a symbolic arrow upwards and downwards to ward off evil spirits.

Opening ritual - shooting towards the ground

There are ten riders in all, separated into two groups. Unusually for such an event there are women riders and the order of the riders is decided by lottery. On the first run through the riders fire at three targets at shoulder height. On the return run they fire at two targets set near the ground. The number of hits is recorded and announced over the tannoy. Once the results are in, the best five are put through into a second round, when the targets get smaller. Amazingly, this means that at a fairly high speed they fire at something little bigger than a saucer.

As part of the shrine’s outreach to foreigners, it provides an English-language commentary along with the Japanese, performed by Inui Mitsutaka who worked for a while with the International Shinto Foundation in New York. There’s much here that tells of the values of Shinto. The celebration of tradition. The entertainment for ancestral deities. The treasuring of skill and precision. Confucian and Taoist influences are evident, while the white horse on display brings to mind the importance of the animal as an emissary of the kami. They say Buddhism in Japan is a religion of the living concerned with death. Shinto on the other hand focuses on dead spirits but is concerned with life. Here in the galloping horses is a case in point.

Sacred white horse at Kamigamo (only to be seen at festivals and holidays) — The sacred white horse at Kamigamo (only to be seen at festivals and holidays)

The festival begins at 13.00. Details about the shrine and how to reach it can be found here: http://www.kamigamojinja.jp/english/index.html

Tel 075-781-0011

Fax 075-702-6618

Nice short of video of it here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqoOEDyAvNM

Text and images by John Dougill.John Dougill is professor of British Studies at Kyoto’s Ryukoku University and the author of Kyoto: A Cultural History, In Search of the Hidden Christians, and Japan’s World Heritage Sites. He is also a contributor to our book, Deep Kyoto: Walks. You can read his previous articles for Deep Kyoto here, and his blog Green Shinto at http://greenshinto.com/.

Kyoto Antiques: Shopping & Window Shopping

September 8, 2011 By Michael Lambe

Ian Ropke writes,

There are two areas in Kyoto known for antiques: Teramachi and Shinmonzen. Both areas are perfect for window shopping and, naturally, shopping.

Antiques Shop, Teramachi — *Antiques shop on Teramachi*

Teramachi, south of Marutamachi, north of Oike but mostly north of Nijo, is Kyoto’s newest antique center. It is more casual, and often quite a bit cheaper when it comes to antiques pure and simple (provenance and expert value aside). It also has a wide range of other interesting shops (highly recommended for high quality Asian handicrafts and art & tea ceremony accessories, and getting into the minutely graduated worlds of tea at Ippodo and washi paper in the shop just to the south of Ippodo). The smartest way to do this route is to either crisscross or go down one side of Teramachi and then up the other.

Shinmonzen, running west for about 500 meters from Higashioji just north of the Gion district, is the old center of Kyoto’s antique industry. This is where the Americans got some of Japan’s finest treasures for next to nothing and many many did. In the Russian war, POWs were allowed to go and shop on Shinmonzen as the barracks for POWs in the Kansai region was nearby in Kyoto). The shops here are less suited for window shopping, but interesting in every other way.

Many shops in both areas specialize (for example Chinese/Japanese/Korean antiques, paintings, lacquer ware, ceramics, bronze, Japanese furniture, wood-block prints, wood carving, scrolls, Buddhist paintings and sculptures, pearls, glassware, tea ceremony utensils, kimonos, etc.), while others offer a crazy selection. Prices are often not marked, and bargaining is expected. Experience the exotic world of Kyoto antiques, and take something special home from Asia’s streets of treasure. Most shops on both streets are open every day 10:00-18:00 (some are closed on Mondays). English is understood and spoken well in many shops.

Kamiji Kakimoto Est. 1845 — *Kamiji Kakimoto (established 1845) just south of Ippodo on Teramachi sells washi paper.*

Useful Antique Shopping Language

antique – kottouhin

What is this for? – Kore wa nanini tsukauno desuka?

How much is it? – Kore wa ikura desuka?

(It is) __________ yen. – (Kore wa) __________ en desu

Yagi's art shop on Shinmonzen (detail) — *Yagi’s art shop on Shinmonzen (detail)*

Can you make it cheaper? – Motto yasuku narimasen ka?

How about _______ yen? – ______ en deha dodesuka?

How old is it? – Kore ha odregurai furui mono desuka?

I’m just looking. – Chotto miteru dake desu

Can I touch it? – Sawatte mo ii desuka?

Do you have anything similar to this? – Kore to onaji mono ha mou hitotsu arimasu ka?

How old is this? – Kore wa dore gurai furui desuka?

Yagi's art shop on Shinmonzen — Yagi’s art shop on Shinmonzen

Edo jidai (1603 – 1867)
Meiji jidai (1868 – 1911)
Taisho jidai (1912 – 1927)

What is this made of? – Kono sozai ha nan desuka

Wood: ki; Cedar: sugi; Cypress: hinoki; Cherry: sakura; Bamboo: take.

Metal: kinzoku; Silver: gin; Copper: do; Brass: shinchu; Iron: tetsu.

Cotton: men; Silk: kinu; Linen: asa.

Is it fragile? – Kore wa koware yasui desuka?

Can send it to me in my home country? – Gaikoku ni okuru koto dekimasuka?

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Full text by Ian Ropke. Photographs by Michael Lambe. Ian Ropke is the author of the Historical Dictionary of Osaka and Kyoto, assistant editor of Kyoto Visitors Guide, and director of Your Japan Private Tours. You can read his previous articles for Deep Kyoto here.

Karasu Sumo at Kamigamo Shrine on September 9

August 24, 2011 By Michael Lambe

John Dougill writes,

Priests hopping and cawing like crows. Seven year old kids doing sumo. What’s that all got to do with Shinto, you may wonder?

Kamigamo Jinja is Kyoto’s greenest shrine and probably the oldest. It was established by the Kamo clan long before Kammu founded the capital in 794. One of the clan, according to legend, helped guide Emperor Jimmu across Kii Hanto and was known as yatagarasu (the three-legged crow). Personally, I take this to mean he was a shaman of the Crow People, who settled in Kyoto after immigrating from Korea. Their descendants still live in the area around Kamigamo.

Preparing to Crow — Bowing to the sacred mounds

At the festival the priests sit in front of two mounds of earth, which represent the sacred hill onto which the shrine’s kami, Kamo Wake-ikazuchi, first descended. The hill, known as Koyama, lies north of the shrine and every year there is a secret ceremony there to reenact the shamanic rites of old.

But why are there two mounds? Interestingly, this recreates the two mounds that stand permanently inside the middle torii. Priests at the shrine say that they represent yin and yang, but they could well signify the theme of renewal in Shinto. At Ise, for instance, a new shrine is built adjacent to the old shrine for the kami to move into. Perhaps the two mounds here act in similar symbolic manner.

Parade of the sumo wrestlers — Parade of the (mini) sumo wrestlers

The day’s rituals start with the offering of chrysanthemum flowers at 10.00, following which participants proceed from the worship hall to the arena. A colourfully costumed young girl representing the historical saio (imperial princess) presides over events. The initial rites include the shooting of arrows to dispel evil spirits, after which two of the priests do their crow performance.

The climax is the children’s sumo, put on for the entertainment of the kami. There are two teams, and each boy gets to wrestle two times. The atmosphere can become quite heated, and the crowd usually gets behind the little toddler struggling against a bigger opponent. Cameras flash from all directions. By the end you may feel just as happy as the kami that this ancient tradition has been preserved so long.

Text and images by John Dougill. John Dougill is professor of British Studies at Kyoto’s Ryukoku University and the author of Kyoto: A Cultural History, In Search of the Hidden Christians, and Japan’s World Heritage Sites. He is also a contributor to our book, Deep Kyoto: Walks. You can read his previous articles for Deep Kyoto here, and his blog Green Shinto at http://greenshinto.com/.

(For a video of the priests crowing, see http://chrenee.blogspot.com/2007/09/karasu-sumo-festival.html)

John Dougill enjoys a seasonal stroll from Tambabashi to Fushimi

May 27, 2011 By Michael Lambe

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Kammu burial mound entrance with Hideyoshi's reconstructed castle in the background

A pleasant walk through woods and 1100 years of history? In Kyoto? Yes, it’s possible on the south-eastern edge if you walk between Tambabashi and Fushimi-Momoyama. It takes two hours and along the way are imperial tombs, Shinto shrines and an Edo-era escapade.

Kammu's mound — Paying respects at the Emperor Kammu's burial mound

Start from any of three Tambabashi stations (JR, Keihan or Kintetsu). Walk uphill for ten minutes and you’ll come to the tomb of Emperor Kammu (737-806), fiftieth in succession from the sun-goddess and the founder of Kyoto. The reconstructed tower of Hideyoshi’s Fushimi castle peers out from the trees behind. [Read more…]

Kyoto Kanban: Unique Shop Signboards in the Old City

April 19, 2011 By Michael Lambe

Ian Ropke writes,

Japan’s ingenious and eye-catching signboards known as kanban are unique. The earliest examples avoided the use of words, presumably because they couldn’t have been read by an illiterate public, and often focused on the shape of the product, or the form of the container in which it was sold. Larger than life carvings of objects such as geta, candles, brushes, fans, and combs, were sometimes used to get the message across. Hardware stores signs still make use of this latter form, with real scissors, locks, nail covers, or doorknobs. Here are three classics to look for (but don’t stop looking!):

kOSETSUKEN (Medium) — *The wooden brush signboard at Kosetsu-ken*

The signboard at Kosetsu-ken, on Nijo, east of Kawaramachi, is a large, beautifully-carved, wooden brush that identifies the shop as one catering to the needs of the calligrapher or painter. The original actually used the hair from three horse tails, but over the years, the hands of curious people ended up turning the brush bald!

Yaosan kanban (Medium) — *The original Yaosan sign.*

Yaosan, on the northwest corner of Aneya-koji and Higashi-no-toin, a seller of yuzu (lime) miso for over 280 years, has a magnificent kanban. The original, preserved inside the shop, is the work of the famous Kyoto potter, Kitaoji Rosanjin. He is said to have written and carved the bold, confident letters at the beginning of the Taisho period (1912-1926).

Yaosan (Medium) — *The sign on Yaosan’s front is a faithful replica of the original.*

The kanban outside is a copy of the original.

roofed sign 1 (Medium) — *A roofed sign at Amamori Keitaro Yakubo*

Lastly, from woodblock prints, we know that little roofs and folding doors were often used to protect signs from the elements. Few of these roofed kanban still exist. One good example, can be seen at Amamori Keitaro Yakubo, on Kurumaya-cho, south of Nijo. The current sign probably dates back to 1864, when the premises were rebuilt.

AKY and detail — *Amamori Keitaro Yakubo has been selling a traditional ointment called “munikou” since the Edo era*

Ian Ropke is the author of the Historical Dictionary of Osaka and Kyoto and director of Your Japan Private Tours. You can read his previous articles for Deep Kyoto here.

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A Kyoto New Year

December 24, 2010 By Michael Lambe

This will be the last post for the year as I am going home to the UK for Christmas and will be offline for an ENTIRE WEEK! Before I hand you over to John Dougill for the final word, let me wish you all a very merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year. And for those who can’t bear to be without Deep Kyoto for a whole week, I have posted a list of categorised 2010 highlights here (click it! go on click it!) for your browsing pleasure. Now, over to John!

John Dougill writes…

The true soul of Japan is neither Shinto nor Buddhist. It’s Shinto-Buddhist. Until the artificial split of early Meiji times, the country had more than 1000 years of happy syncretism. Born Shinto, die Buddhist is the Japanese way.

Shinto is this-worldly, concerned with rites of passage and social well-being. Buddhism is other-worldly, concerned with individual salvation. At New Year the two religions come together like yin and yang, either side of midnight. Buddhism sees out the death of the old; Shinto celebrates the birth of the new. Joya-no-kane (tolling of the bell) gives way to Hatsumode (first visit of the year).

To get the full feel of a Kyoto New Year, you need to be syncretic too. In the dying minutes of the year, go hear the bell at a Buddhist temple. By tradition it is rung 108 times once for every attachment that plagues the human condition. Then head for a shrine to pick up arrow and amulets for protection through the coming year.

With over 3000 temples and shrines in Kyoto, you’re spoilt for choice. A popular but crowded combination is Chion-in and Yasaka Jinja. File up the hill to watch the young priests at the temple acrobatically swing on ropes to ring the bell. Then head down to the shrine to get twisted bamboo lit with the sacred Okera fire. It will purify your home.

Personally I prefer the open space of Kurodani, where the bell booms soulfully over the nearby hillside. Open fires give off a warm glow, which you can add to with heated sake before lining up to ring the bell. Afterwards a twenty-minute walk leads through dark and dozing streets to the wooded surrounds of Shimogamo Jinja.

Suddenly there are laughing voices, bright kimono, and gaudy lights. Aspiring yakuza sell candy floss and goldfish. Here all is jollity and smiles. ‘Akemashite gozaimasu’ rings out on every side. At the shrine people toss coins over the heads of those in front into the offertory boxes. With the blessing of the kami, this too will be a happy New Year. A happy Kyoto New Year!

John Dougill is professor of British Studies at Kyoto’s Ryukoku University and the author of Kyoto: A Cultural History, In Search of the Hidden Christians, and Japan’s World Heritage Sites. He is also a contributor to our book, Deep Kyoto: Walks. You can read his previous articles for Deep Kyoto here. John will write again in a few days with some top tips for New Year’s Eve!

A Kyoto Christmas

December 20, 2010 By Michael Lambe

John Dougill writes…

Chion-in Pond — A garden pond at the back of Chion-in, Kyoto. *

Christmas in Japan comes with a difference. “Romantic Christmas Eve” means all the restaurants and love hotels are booked out: woe betide the man who doesn’t buy his loved one an expensive present. Yet the next morning everyone has to tramp off to work, for Christmas Day is no holiday. The birth of the emperor (December 23) takes precedence over the birth of Jesus. That means you get to do things at Christmas you could never do back home, such as go shopping, watch a film or even go to work.

Only about 1% of Japanese are Christian, yet with Christmas carols playing downtown, Christmas decorations on the houses, and Christmas cake in the coffee shops you could easily forget that Kyoto is the heartland of Japanese Buddhism. That’s why to get the real flavour of a Kyoto Christmas, it’s worth visiting Chion-in on December 25. There’s a ceremony that takes place in the enormous Founder’s Hall, which is quite an occasion. The full priestly hierarchy is on parade, with over a thousand people banging away on mokugyo (wooden drums).

The Foundation Hall stands on the very site where the Pure Land Sect founder, Honen {1133-1212), once preached. It houses a sacred image of him, which gets to be ceremonially cleaned on this special day. Like Jesus, Honen was the bearer of good news namely that a deity called Amida had vowed to save all who called on his name.

During the ceremony Honen’s statue gets treated with the kind of reverence normally reserved for mighty potentates and awesome deities. You’ve never seen a proper prostration until you witness just how the young priests approach the sacred statue. All the traits of the Japanese are on display: the attention to detail; the meticulousness; the studied formality; the love of ritual. It’s the religious equivalent of the Oscar-winning film Okuribito (Departures).

Afterwards take a wander round Chion-in. It’s got the largest main gate in Japan (as featured in The Last Samurai), and a massive seventy-ton bell that is rung in spectacular fashion at New Year. If you’re looking for a Christmas game, why not try hunting down the temple’s Seven Wonders? A corridor that squeaks like a nightingale; self-made coffins by the builders of the main gate; an umbrella in the rafters; sparrows that flew away from a painting; a cat that sees in three directions; a large rice paddle 2.5 meters long; a cucumber rock. And if all that’s not enough, you can visit the temple’s museum and the Hojo Garden, designated by Kyoto City as a famous scenic spot, no less. By the end of the day you’ll have had a Christmas with a difference. A Kyoto Christmas.

John Dougill is professor of British Studies at Kyoto’s Ryukoku University and the author of Kyoto: A Cultural History, In Search of the Hidden Christians, and Japan’s World Heritage Sites. He is also a contributor to our book, Deep Kyoto: Walks. You can read his previous articles for Deep Kyoto here. John will write again in a few days with some top tips for New Year’s Eve!

For more about Chion-in, see http://www.chion-in.or.jp/e/index.html

For the Seven Wonders, see http://www.chion-in.or.jp/e/place_to_see/seven.html

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Image credits:

* This image from Wikipedia was released by its owner into the public domain.

** The second image is of Honen, founder of the Pure Land sect. This image from the Eikando website is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.

*** The third image is of the Sanmon gate at Chion-in. This image from Wikipedia is on a GFDL+creative commons2.5 license. Source: 663highland

Autumn Colours at Kinkakuji & Ryoanji

November 24, 2010 By Michael Lambe

Yesterday Mewby and I braved the autumn weather to see the autumn leaves at Kinkakuji and Ryoanji. The Golden Pavilion at Kinkakuji and the rock garden at Ryoanji are two of Kyoto’s most iconic sites and worth a visit any time of year. Right now though the autumn leaves make it just magical!

Ryoanji’s gorgeous gardens are a twenty minute stroll away from Kinkakuji if you don’t want to take a bus. On the way there are a large number of shops selling nishin (herring) soba noodles. It’s not to everyone’s taste but for myself I can’t resist a hot bowl of nishin soba after a visit to Kinkakuji. Here are the gardens at Ryoanji.

You can see more pictures like this on my personal blog here. Situated in the north-west of the city, Kinkakuji and Ryoanji are happily pretty close together so you can check them both out in one afternoon pretty easily. Check the city bus travel map for the buses that go out there. Buses do take time so we got a taxi up there (around 1500 yen from Oike) and then bus 59 back to Sanjo Keihan (220 yen). You could also go by bicycle if you have enough energy. Do remember though, you’ll be going uphill all the way there!

KIRISHITAN KYOTO

September 29, 2010 By Michael Lambe

John Dougill writes…

In the heart of Kyoto there once stood a Southern Barbarian Temple (Nanban-ji). It was located not far from Rokkaku-do, the city’s belly button. The three-storey structure was built in 1576 and was an exotic addition to a city in the midst of revitalisation. For a while it was the height of fashion for the city’s leading figures to go visit the ‘temple’.

First Southern Barabarian Temple — The First Southern Barbarian Temple

How did it come about? The story begins in early 1551 with the first ever European to set foot in Kyoto the intrepid missionary Francis Xavier. To his dismay he found the city in ruins following a long period of civil strife and left after just ten days. But the Jesuits were determined to make a base in the capital, and eight years later came Father Vilela. Through dogged perseverance he built up a following.

In 1576, with the support of volunteers, the Jesuits were able to turn their humble altar into a proper church. Portuguese fashion was all the rage at the time, and some of the aristocracy had taken to wearing pantaloons and crosses. As a result the new church created a buzz of excitement and among the visitors was the country’s unifier, Nobunaga. Two of his sons took an interest in the religion, and one was later baptised.

It all came to a sorry end in 1587. In an angry outburst against the Jesuits’ military ties Hideyoshi issued an anti-Christian edict, and in the aftermath the church was demolished. Amazingly the Portuguese-made bell was somehow preserved and can still be seen at Shunko-in, a subtemple of the Zen monastery of Myoshin-ji. It bears the date 1577 and has an inscription in Latin.

Second Nanbanji — Second Nanban-ji (artist's impression)

Not long afterwards a second Nanban-dera arose in the city, following the arrival of the Franciscans in 1593. The newcomers had come from Manila and established a small monastery with hospitals and a church. Though the official name was Los Angeles, locals nicknamed it after the first church.

It lasted just four years, until Hideyoshi turned against the Franciscans as a fifth column for Spanish colonialism. A small museum now stands on the site.

A third Kyoto church was established on Motoseiganji from 1604-12, when the Tokugawa regime clamped down on the foreign faith.

元和クリシタン殉教の地 ~ “This is the spot of a Genna era Christian matyrdom”

It heralded an age of persecution, marked in Kyoto by the Great Martyrdom of 1619 when 52 people were burnt on the banks of the Kamogawa. Amongst the victims was Hashimoto Tecla, the only known pregnant martyr in Catholic history, who was burnt along with five of her six children. By 1639, with the age of isolation, Kyoto’s flirtation with Christianity was over. Not until 1873 was the religion allowed again.

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Nanbanji noticeboard — Click for a better image.

(The first and third Kirishitan churches are marked by noticeboards. The site of the second church is now the Furansisuko no Ie, which displays items related to Kyoto’s Kirishitan past. It is just to the west of Shijo Omiya, at Satakechou 388, Iwagamidori sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8391. Tel: 075-822-2397.)

Rokudo-Mairi & The Haunted Candy Shop

August 14, 2010 By Michael Lambe

“The Japanese say that the heat of summer is the best time for ghost stories, as the little tingle they give you helps to fight the heat,” writes Jeffrey Angles in his fascinating blog International Date Line. He goes on…

In fact, during the Edo Period (1600-1868), there was a summertime pastime known as “One Hundred Tales” (百物語). In it, a group of friends would light a lot of candles in a dark room. People would then take turns telling ghost stories; at the end of each story, they would snuff out one candle, making the room progressively darker. By the time all the candles were out, one was practically guaranteed to see a ghost!

Very well then. It’s hot and it’s muggy and it’s time for a deliciously spooky spine-tingling Deep Kyoto tale to cool you all down!

Last Sunday (August 8th) I went to the Pottery Festival on Gojo-zaka. Pottery stalls lined the street all the way up from Kawabata to Higashioji. This festival takes place every year between August 7th and 10th. Michael B. (aka Peko) has a good piece about it up on his site “Open Kyoto” so I shan’t bother reinventing the wheel… I want to tell you a spooky story after all. It was at the pottery festival that I bumped into some friends of mine. They invited me to come with them to nearby Rokudo-san, a sub-temple of Kenninji. [Read more…]

Saiundo Traditional Art Supply Shop

June 18, 2010 By Michael Lambe

Today’s post from Ian Ropke is a continuation of yesterday’s post on Nihonga…

The classic Japanese artist’s best friend

For well over one hundred years, Saiun-do has been supplying artists with quality Nihonga pigments and brushes. The business has an illustrious history. The famous painter Tomioka Tessai (1836-1924), just one of Saiundo’s illustrious clients, recommended the auspicious name Saiun-do [Spectrum Cloud Hall] in 1890. The kanban [shop sign] that hangs in the office was painted by Tessai himself.

At first glance, Saiun-do appears to be a traditional Chinese medicine [kampo] shop, with shelves lined with jars and vials and cases of exotic-looking colored powders. These prized ingredients and how they are mixed can transform white or wooden boards into prized art treasures, and for that reason the color recipes are often closely-guarded secret formulas.

Since the beginning, Saiundo has been a favorite destination for many of Japan’s major Nihonga and Sumie (ink paintings) artists. [Read more…]

Nihonga – The History of Traditional Japanese Painting

June 17, 2010 By Michael Lambe

^{Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links and the owner of this website may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.}Ian Ropke writes…

The history of traditional Japanese painting

The history of Nihonga, the traditional Japanese manner of painting, can be traced back to the beginning of the Heian period.

*“Mulan” a Nihonga painting by Hashimoto Kansetsu, 1918. Click the image to buy an art print.*

A manuscript from 999 mentions a style of painting called Yamato-e (Yamato was the old name of Japan). When exactly this new school of painting originated is not known, but it is clear that Japan’s break with the Tang Court of China, prepared the soil for the growth of a purely ‘Japanese’ art. Yamato-e broke away from the Chinese-inspired Kara-e by favoring typical Japanese subject matter and developing a narrative style of depicting events: the e-makimono or scroll painting.

“Tabby Cat” by Takeuchi Seihō, 1924 is a famous example of Nihonga from the Kyoto School. Click the image if you would like to buy a print.

It was not until the beginning of the Meiji era that China’s position as Japan’s cultural mentor was replaced by Europe. Soon Japan came under the influence of the Western tradition of oil painting (Yusaiga). In no time at all, Japanese art, literature, and music were more and more like branches of the Western arts. As is common in such circumstances, a counter-reaction set in almost immediately. Perhaps it was at this time that the concept of Nihonga as a style of art different from the Western style (Yoga) came to be accepted.

Throughout Japanese history, political and military power has shifted constantly, but Kyoto has managed to retain its status as the cultural and traditional center for the arts. Hence, examples of Nihonga have been beautifully preserved here in their original forms. They can be admired in scroll form, individual panels, sliding doors, temple walls, Noh stages, folding screens, and beautifully decorated fans. A wide variety of subject matter has been depicted, and although subjects may have changed throughout the years, a number of devices which characterize the tradition have remained unchanged:

1) an emphasis on colorful forms, simplified to create ornamental patterns;

2) a strong preference for delineating shape by silhouetting it against a background of different color;

3) little emphasis on shading, and thus a flattened image;

4) a view which renders the essential of scenes with the greatest economy to maximize the beauty of the formal design;

5) a final opaque quality that contrasts with the oil-based colors utilized in the west;

6) rigorous selection of materials and tools.

It should perhaps be pointed out that the above characteristics are no longer exclusive to Nihonga and that this traditional style of painting, born out of nationalistic pride, will eventually be absorbed into a wider, global framework.

*“Summer Evening” is a mysterious painting by Hashimoto Kansetsu, 1941. Hashimoto Kansetsu was also a member of the Kyoto School – click the image if you would like a print.*

Paper Used: Most Nihon-ga artists use mashi (hemp paper). There are many kinds of mashi even today, differing in character depending on where they are made. Some mashi is made in Otaki Village near Fukui and possibly still in Toyama and Nigata prefectures.

Brushes: Nearly 80 percent of the brushes (hake or fude) in Japan are made in the town of Kumano in Hiroshima Prefecture using horse hair, sheep hair, or a combination thereof.

*“Still Life – Salmon Slices and Sardines” by Tsuchida Bakusen, 1924. Click the image to access art prints.*

Pigments and Binding Agents: The powdered colors are mixed with a glue binder (nikawa) made from animal hooves (cow, deer, and rabbit) as well as fish and whale bones.

This is a two-part post. The second part Saiundo Traditional Art Shop will be published tomorrow…

Full text by Ian Ropke. Ian Ropke is the author of the Historical Dictionary of Osaka and Kyoto and director of Your Japan Private Tours. You can read his previous articles for Deep Kyoto here.

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Takigi Noh (Noh by Firelight)

May 24, 2010 By Michael Lambe

John Dougill writes…

For many people Noh is a turn-off. The plays have no conflict, no humour and no facial expression. Actors move at a snail’s pace, the language is arcane and the music archaic. To its detractors it’s simply an outmoded relic of medieval times. Noh way, Noh thank you.

There are regular performances in Kyoto, and if you attend you’ll find a good number of the audience asleep. One top performer told me he would do the same if he were watching rather than on stage! It’s very much an acquired taste, for knowledge is needed of the crafts and skills to truly appreciate them. The types of play and their ethereal nature, for example. The stately movement of the actors. The exquisite quality of the costumes. The almost sacred nature of the masks. The musical form. It’s an art form for connoisseurs.

Once a year, however, Kyoto offers an opportunity to enjoy Noh in a different light, when an outdoor show in the atmospheric surrounds of the Heian Shrine brings the plays to life in spectacular style. [Read more…]

Ikkyū

May 20, 2010 By Michael Lambe

Ian Ropke writes…

Ikkyu — *Portrait of Ikkyū by Bokusai* (Public Domain)

Ikkyū was a Zen monk who was famous for burning the candle of life at both ends. By day, he was devout and extremely accomplished monk and scholar. By night, he reveled in the so-called “floating world” of drink and women. He lived in tumultuous 15th century Japan at a time when most of the country was ruined by civil war.

Ikkyū was born the illegitimate son of an emperor and a court lady. As a boy he already displayed remarkable abilities and intelligence. He was particularly attracted to Chinese culture which he absorbed and used for the rest of his life in his poetic imagery. He was not good looking. His Zen apprenticeship began at age 13 at Kennin-ji Temple, Kyoto’s oldest Zen temple, located, ironically, just south of the first-class world of wine and women: Gion. From a young age, he took naturally to criticizing the world of hypocrisy he saw around him in temples and in the ruling families of his day. [Read more…]

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