The last throes before the ghost of time Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times A lifetime of friendship becomes distant. Moments of confusion grow from minutes to days. Loved ones often erased. The river once flowed and reached my heart. Now the flow is lost. Art hangs on many walls, like eyes reaching into my…
Buddhist art and the Japanese priest Mokuan Reien: The Middle Kingdom and Mu Qi Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese Zen Buddhist priest Mokuan Reien was born in the thirteenth century in the land of the rising sun. Like many Japanese Buddhist holy men – artists and people of culture – the Middle…
Art of Japan and Kume Keiichirō: Stability despite the change Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Kume Keiichirō (1866-1934) belongs to the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa periods of history in the land of the rising sun. In truth, Keiichirō avoided the convulsions that impacted on many during such momentous changes during the…
Contemporary Japanese artist and adorable landscape titled “Hakone in Natural Splendor” Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The contemporary Japanese artist Sawako Utsumi recently produced another adorable art piece that focused on the natural landscape of Hakone. True to the nature of Utsumi, she bypassed the possibility of focusing on Mount Fuji that can be…
Sugawara Mitsushige and Buddhism: Bodhisattva Kannon and the Middle Kingdom Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The passing of time never dampens the beauty of the thirteenth-century Japanese calligrapher Sugawara Mitsushige. Indeed, just like the words of Buddha remain timeless, then images of chapter 25 of the “Universal Gate” representing Bodhisattva Kannon equally remain timeless…
Soga Shōhaku went against the grain in the eighteenth century: Art of the Muromachi Period Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Soga Shōhaku (1730-1781) went against the grain in the eighteenth century because he was greatly influenced by the Muromachi Period. This period, dated 1336 to 1573, but officially coming into existence…
Kanzan Shimomura and art of Japan: The flows of Buddhist art, Kano, Rinpa, and the school of Tosa Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artist Kanzan Shimomura (1873 to 1930) is a famous son of Wakayama and just like this part of Japan is rich in culture and faith, Kanzan also had a spiritual…
Art of Japan in a changing environment: Paris and Saburosuke Okada Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Saburosuke Okada (1869-1939) was born one year after the Meiji Restoration of 1868 and he would witness many changes throughout his life. This applies to the Meiji Era, the Taisho Era, and the early part of the Showa…
Sengai Gibon and Rinzai Buddhism: Artistic Outreach and Buddhist Contemplation Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The inner-soul of Sengai Gibon (1750-1837) was always multidimensional and the flow that linked all fusions was Buddhism. Artistic wise, we will never know the real capabilities of Sengai because his art and writings were based on simplicity,…
The reality of poverty for the Japanese artist Eisen and his independent nature Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Keisai Eisen (1790-1848) learned to be independent at an early age because he chose a path that was fraught with economic danger. In a sense, Eisen represents aspects of “the real Edo period” for individuals who…
Power dynamics of art and the Tosa School: Richness of culture and Buddhism Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times One of the most famous schools of art in Japan applies to the Tosa school because of areas related to traditional art and the past longevity of this esteemed school. This exemplary art school flowed naturally…
Art of Japan and Kiyoo: Social and political convulsions but artistic continuity Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Kawamura Kiyoo (1852-1934) created many amazing pieces of art during a period of rapid political change. He was born in the old world of the Edo Period (1603-1868) and he witnessed the modernization of…
Japanese art and the stunning artistic beauty of Totoya Hokkei (1780-1850) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Totoya Hokkei (1780-1850) was born during the Edo Period and while he passed away well before the Meiji Restoration of 1868, it is clear that Western art was increasingly encroaching during the later period of his lifetime. Of…
Japanese art and the exile of a holy Buddhist priest Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Nichiren (1222-1282) was born during a very unstable period in Japan because of internal political convulsions, the devastation of nature, and belief that the world was entering a bleak period based on growing backwardness. Debates took place around the…
Art of Japan and the remaining shadow of Shintoism Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Buddhist temples from various sects appear to dominate the religious discourse in Japan but inwardly the faith of Shintoism remains within the soul, irrespective of cultural, religious, or secular. Indeed, the splendor of ultra-modern cities, for example, Tokyo and Osaka,…
Art of Japan and the Bridge in the Rain: Van Gogh and Hiroshige Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist, Ando Hiroshige (1797-1858), is one of the most esteemed ukiyo-e artists to hail from the land of the rising sun. Internationally, Hiroshige inspired many Western artists including Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). Therefore, several…
Art of Japan and changing times: Yokohama-e and Western encroachment Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Utagawa Sadahide (Gountei Sadahide) witnessed the first years of modernization in Japan that emerged after the 1868 Meiji Restoration. Yet, prior to this dramatic period in Japanese history, the artist Sadahide depicted aspects of Western encroachment. Indeed, while many…
Art of Japan and Nichiren Buddhism in the soul of Rinpa art Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Japanese historical art is blessed with many forms inspired internally and from the richness of ancient China and Korea. At the same time, religious and philosophical influence naturally flowed within the historical legacy of Japanese art. Therefore,…
Japan art and the legacy of Tensho Shubun: Buddhism to the power of the Middle Kingdom Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Tensho Shubun was deeply influenced by landscape artists from the Middle Kingdom (China). Indeed, Shubun is noted for being one of the founding fathers of introducing Chinese-style ink painting in…
Japanese Buddhist poetry of the fourteenth century: Jakushitsu Genkō (1290-1367) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Jakushitsu Genkō (1290-1367) is a famous Japanese Rinzai Buddhist preacher who became the first abbot of the Eigen-ji temple that was built in his honor. He reportedly said about poetry, “Why pursue words, when one truly seeks silence?” This…
The poetry of Japan and Arakida Moritake (1473-1549): The natural flow of Shintoism Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The poetry of Arakida Moritake (1473-1549) was inspired by the flows of the past, the reality of nature, and the Shinto faith that meant so much to him. Not surprisingly, in the history of Japan prior…
Poet Saigyō (1118-1190) and Japanese Buddhism: the Light of the Buddha and Shintoism Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese Buddhist poet Saigyō Hōshi (birth name Satō Norikiyo) was born in 1118 and passed away in 1190. He was a man of passion, virtue, contemplation, and a soul that wandered places of religious importance.…
Japanese artist illuminates a classic Dutch art piece by Hendrick Avercamp Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The contemporary Japanese artist Sawako Utsumi is once more focusing on the world of Dutch art. This time it is Hendrick Avercamp (1585-1634), unlike past art pieces that focused on Esaias van de Velde (1587-1630) and Aert van der…
Japanese artist touch to Esaias van de Velde: Light of Japan on Dutch art of yesteryear Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Another stunning art piece by the Japanese artist, Sawako Utsumi, is illuminated by the unique angle and a delightful color scheme to the original done by Esaias van de Velde. In the past,…
Katsukawa Shunshō (1726-1793) and art of Japan Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist called Katsukawa Shunshō isn’t particularly famous outside of Japan. Indeed, even in Japan, he is hardly among the first individuals to think about when focusing on artists during the Edo Period. Yet, Shunshō’s legacy is extremely rich based on…
Japanese art and Takeshiro Kanokogi: Influence of Jean-Paul Laurens and Emile-Rene Menard Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Takeshiro Kanokogi was born in 1874 during the infancy of the Meiji Restoration that began in 1868. Yet, by the time of his death in 1941, much had changed about Japan. Therefore, one can…
Art of Japan and Matsumura Goshun: Impact of high culture, Yosa Buson, and the shadow of death Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Matsumura Goshun was born in 1752 during the Edo Period in Japan and he provides an impressive glimpse into the rich heritage of high culture. In the early period…
Japan poetry and Tendai Buddhism: The historian and poetic Buddhist monk Jien (1155-1225) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Buddhist monk Jien was born in 1155 and he passed away from this world in 1225. Yet, despite the passages of time, his historical writings and poems leave a lasting legacy. Therefore, Jien provides a…
Japanese Art and Ito Shinsui: the stunning art of his early golden period Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Ito Shinsui (1898-1972) is a pivotal Japanese artist of the twentieth century. Hence he blessed the Taisho and Showa periods of Japanese history through the medium of art. Equally important, the Shin Hanga art movement meant…
Art and culture flourished under the Japanese warlord Oda Nobunaga in the 16th century Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The warlord Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) was extremely multi-dimensional despite his harsh reputation. This single figure in Japanese history laid the foundation stone for the centralization of Japan based on his tenacity, creativity, openness to new…
Narashige Koide and art of Japan: Intriguing artist Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Yoga (Western-style) portraiture art and expressions of still life by Narashige Koide remain deeply embedded when thinking about this artist. Koide continued to develop through his relatively short life because he died at the age of 43. Near the end of…
Art of Japan and the unconventional approach of Soga Shōhaku (1730-1781) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist, Soga Shōhaku (1730-1781), was born into a wealthy household during the Edo Period. Yet, the comfort of wealth was of no solace to this intriguing artist because all members of his immediate family had…
