Japan art and Buddhism: Desolate mountains and monks Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The gifted contemporary Japanese artist Sawako Utsumi often focuses on the desolation of the mountain landscape along with angles of Buddhism and Shintoism. In this article, the focus is on Buddhism, nature, and holy monks. In the art piece below titled “The…
Japan art and folklore: Samurai Taira no Tadamori Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Taira clan was one of the four notable family clans of old Japan. Fujiwara, Minamoto, and Tachibana were the other notable families. Hence, Taira no Tadamori (1096-1153) was a potent samurai leader in 12th-century Japan. Tadamori was known for his…
Prince Ōtsu and 7th century Japanese poetry: Death awaits Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prince Ōtsu (663-686) enjoyed the trappings of beauty, culture, prestige, and other important things throughout his early life. It appeared that an esteemed future awaited him. However, similar to other cultures in this period, internal family and political intrigues would…
Kamisaka Sekka (1866-1942) and the world of artistic dreams Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Kamisaka Sekka (1866-1942) lit up the Japanese art world with his atmospheric approach during a period of international conflict. For example, he went outside traditional boundaries by creating a world of dreams. Of course, not all art by Sekka was based on…
Japan and Nara: Buddhist art of the eighth century Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Nara is the cradle of Japanese high culture that emerged in the eighth century. This concerns the Nara Period, which consists of the majority of the eighth century in the land of the rising sun. Therefore, Nara continues to attract…
Japan Zen Buddhist art and the Middle Kingdom (China) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The legacy of the Middle Kingdom (China) is visible throughout Japan. Hence, the flow of architecture, Buddhism, Confucianism, literature, gardens, Taoism, tea ceremony, and countless other important areas persist in modern Japan. Mokuan Reien, a famous Japanese Zen priest of…
Art of Japan and Utagawa Toyokuni: The modest artist Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist, Utagawa Toyokuni, was born in 1769 during the Edo Period and died in 1825. Toyokuni was extremely modest. This concerns his artistic ability – in comparison with riskier artists. Toyokuni famously said, “My pictures – they are merely…
Japan art and poetry: Yosa Buson and flow of China Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Yosa Buson is one of the greatest poets to hail from the land of Japan. Matsuo Bashō and Kobayashi Issa – along with Buson – were the most potent poets during the Edo Period of Japanese history. Therefore, this…
Art of Japan and holy Buddhist warrior of the twelfth century Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Buddhist warrior Saito no Musashibo Benkei (1155-1189) is revered in Japan concerning people who adore culture, history, and various angles of Japanese folklore. His loyalty to Minamoto no Yoshitsune was complete and steadfast at all times. Therefore,…
Japan art and Watanabe Shikō: Kano and Rinpa art Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Watanabe Shikō (1683-1755) produced many stunning art pieces during the eighteenth century in Japan. Yet, aspects of his life remain extremely sketchy and difficult to put together. Despite this, his legacy remains potent today in modern Japan among art lovers and…
Japan Zen Buddhist art and Kogan Gengei Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Kogan Gengei (1748-1821) was a Japanese Zen Buddhist monk who resided during the Edo Period. His life revolved around the teachings of various Zen Buddhist holy men and delving into the scriptures and writings connected to this faith. Artistically, Kogan – like…
Japan art and Natori Shunsen: kabuki yakusha-e actor pictures Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Natori Shunsen (1886-1960) was an esteemed Japanese woodblock printer. He is known for his amazing portraits of kabuki actors. However, his own tragic ending of his life – and his wife – was equally dramatic and devastating as the greatest of kabuki…
Japan contemporary artist and homage to Hendrick Avercamp Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sawako Utsumi is a contemporary Japanese artist who hails from northern Japan. Utsumi’s art is heavily influenced by European, Japanese, and religious themes. Equally, she creates her own individual art pieces concerning landscapes, ideas, and religion. Numerology and religious connotations are also…
Japan art and Suzuki Harunobu (1725-1770): Ladies and style Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Suzuki Harunobu (1725-1770) became the most potent artist depicting beautiful ladies (bijin-ga) in the 1760s. Initially, Harunobu was inspired by Nishikawa Sukenobu. However, in time he developed his own distinctive style. Harunobu was instrumental in Nishiki-e (multi-colored woodblock printing). This new multi-colored woodblock…
Japanese art and fusions of mythology, religion, philosophy, and ghosts Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The richness of Japanese art is a treasure to behold. This concerns the impact of Chinese art on the land of the rising sun – to the extremely indigenous and diverse artistic world of ukiyo-e, which depicted anything from adorable landscapes,…
Japan Buddhism and Tōrei Enji (1721-1792): Art and calligraphy Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Tōrei Enji (1721-1792) was a prominent and esteemed Zen Buddhist monk of the eighteenth century in Japan. He understood the complexity of religion and philosophy in his native country. Thus he desired to build bridges between the complex forces of…
Japan art and Yoshu Chikanobu (1838-1912): Military to art Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Yoshu Chikanobu (Toyohara Chikanobu) witnessed much during his time on this earth. Artistically, it was also a time of internal momentous changes in Japan. Therefore, throughout his lifetime (1838-1912), the ending of the Edo Period to the dynamics of the…
Japan art and Tsuchida Bakusen: Sado Island and Nichiren Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Tsuchida Bakusen (1887-1936) was known for Nihonga style art. Hence, despite his father wanting him to be a Buddhist monk, he chose the art world. Therefore, the art world was lucky he chose this path because he created many stunning art pieces.…
Art of Japan and Ohara Koson: Kacho-ga and birds Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Ohara Koson (1877-1945) is famous for Kacho-ga art. This literally refers to images of birds and flowers. Thus Koson illuminates nature concerning animals, birds, flowers, insects, and plants – while utilizing the changing seasons. Koson also created art concerning…
Art of Japan and Shibata Zeshin: Beauty of simplicity Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artistic beauty of simplicity is illuminated by Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891). However, despite the simplicity of these art pieces in this article, several mysterious angles still appear. Therefore, the creativity of the imagination is a wonder to behold. Zeshin is famous…
Japan art and Katsushika Hokusai: Eclectic mix Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) is internationally famous. Thus artistic galleries highlighting his art are major attractions irrespective of the continent. Therefore, a nice eclectic mix of art by Hokusai was chosen for this article – from Mount Fuji to an…
Japan art and flow of Europe: Fujishima Takeji Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Fujishima Takeji (1867-1943) fused various art themes to produce a plethora of exquisite art. Hence, the yoga (Western-style art) artworks by Fujishima naturally fuse impressionism and romanticism. Fujishima also developed a deep respect for the Art Nouveau art movement. Thus he was…
Japan art and Tōshi Yoshida: Calm Before the US carpet-bombing storm Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Tōshi Yoshida (1911-1995) was the son of a distinguished artist. His father, Hiroshi Yoshida, was deeply respected for his Shin-Hanga art. However, his son would eventually focus on the Sōsaku Hanga art movement. Tōshi suffered…
Japan art and Shiba Kōkan: Western-style artist of the Edo Period Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artist Shiba Kōkan (1747-1818) hails from Japan. However, despite Japan being relatively isolated throughout the Edo Period, Chinese culture still was potent concerning high culture and other important areas of society. Also, windows of Western culture had minor gaps…
Japan poetry and Takuboku Ishikawa (1886-1912): Pyotr Kropotkin Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese poet Takuboku Ishikawa died at a very young age from tuberculosis. He changed his earlier beliefs from naturalism to socialism in response to the environment he witnessed. Therefore, his idealism was still developing and adapting to the convulsions of the Meiji…
Japan art and Buddhism: Sengai Gibon (1750-1837) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sengai Gibon (1750-1837) was a holy Rinzai Buddhist monk from Japan. His art was based on the Buddhist ideals he held and was a way of reaching out to ordinary people. Hence, his thinking – and artistic ways – had no constraints because absolute…
Japan poetry and Uejima Onitsura (1661-1738): Useless dreams, alas Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese poet, Uejima Onitsura (1661-1738), hails from the prefecture of Hyogo. However, it was Osaka where this esteemed haiku poet became famous. In a lovely poem, he wrote: Useless dreams, alas! Over desolate fields winds whisper as they pass. From 8 years of age, Uejima impressed many…
Japan art and Kawai Gyokudō (1873-1957) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Kawai Gyokudō (1873-1957) is famous for Nihonga art. He belongs to the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa periods of Japanese history. Hence, with his father’s consent, he began to study art in Kyoto under the tutelage of Kōno Bairei. Kyoto was a great place…
Japan novelist and Doppo Kunikida (1871-1908) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese novelist and writer of poetry, Doppo Kunikida, was a thoughtful individual throughout his life. He also had a determined individual streak and gradually moved from romantic themes to the ideas of naturalism. Therefore, despite his short life, you can feel the…
Japan art and female artist Uemura Shōen (1875-1949) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese female artist, Uemura Shōen (1875-1949), was fully supported by her mother to become an artist. Historically, art was controlled by Japanese men. This wasn’t unique to Japan because it was a common thread in many cultures – not all. The…
Japan novelist and Ashihei Hino: Leftist, nationalist, to writing solace before suicide Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese novelist Ashihei Hino is a victim of the radical history of the time he belonged to. Hence, during his early adult period, he had leftist leanings. Yet, in time – and serving in the Japanese…
Japan art and Takeuchi Seihō (1864-1942): Kyoto artist Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Takeuchi Seihō (1864-1942) was born during the dying embers of the Edo Period. Hence, his world belongs to the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa periods of Japanese history. Seihō was one of the pioneers of the Nihonga art movement. From a young age, he adored…
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