Contemporary Japan artist inspired by the Dutch master 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…
Art and Poetry: Typhoons and earthquakes take asunder to this cold earth In a flash, all love that was embraced was over The beauty of the child, the lady, the male, the grandparents, all gone No time to say goodbye or to protect The chanting Buddha, the prayer to Christ, the longing of the…
Japanese art and Confucianism: Watanabe Kazan (1793-1841) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Watanabe Kazan (1793-1841) was a very thoughtful artist who came from Japan. Ethics wise, the morality and wisdom of Confucianism impacted greatly on this exceptional artist. Therefore, Watanabe focused on helping ordinary people in the Tahara Domain (in the environs of…
Art of Japan and the two paths of Buddhism and Shintoism: Faith in the snow without Abraham Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The latest art piece by Sawako Utsumi, a contemporary Japanese artist who hails from Northern Japan, utilizes the snowy landscape by highlighting the respective strengths of Buddhism and Shintoism despite terrible adversity.…
Contemporary Japanese artist inspired by Alfred Sisley: Japanese eyes and cultural warning Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artist Alfred Sisley painted many adorable landscapes through the medium of impressionism. Yet, to many individuals with limited knowledge of art, his name remains relatively unknown in comparison with other impressionist artists. However, this doesn’t distract…
Short poem – The kingfisher dies I walked around this world in a haze Not knowing, nor seeking, the falsehood of another faith or culture After all, the kingfisher flew and dived Then a patter could be felt It was like the greatest mountain unspoiled by this brutal world Suddenly, my heart danced to another…
Contemporary Japanese Art and Shintoism: The spirit of Sawako Utsumi and the Kano School Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sawako Utsumi is a contemporary Japanese artist who hails from the land of the rising sun. In this art article, the emphasis is on the individualism of Utsumi who is paying utmost respect to two…
Eishōsai Chōki and art of Japan: The elegance of simplicity Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Very little is known about the Japanese artist Eishōsai Chōki apart from the rich art he produced. It is widely speculated that he was a pupil under the culturally esteemed Toriyama Seiken just like Utamaro. However, in general, it…
Japan art and Kanzan Shimomura: Famous son of Wakayama and his early artistic life in Tokyo 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 and cultural…
Japanese Art and the intriguing nature of Hayami: Northern Renaissance to Bunjinga Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artist Gyoshu Hayami (1894-1935) was born in the Meiji era whereby Japan entered a period of rapid modernization. However, his art belongs to the Taisho and Showa periods of Japanese history because he was too young…
Rinzai Buddhism and the Buddhist artistic outreach of Sengai Gibon 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,…
Art of Japan and the mystery of Utamaro Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The distinguished art of Utamaro Kitagawa is known internationally based on his stunning art. This notably applies to the depiction of beautiful women (bijin-ga). However, while Utamaro is internationally famous, his life remains shrouded in mystery based on many areas remaining…
Kanae Yamamoto (Part Two) and art of Japan: Europe and Socialism Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times In my first article about Kanae Yamamoto (1882-1946), the emphasis was on his childhood, areas related to poverty during his early years, and how he left for Europe in 1912. Therefore, this article will further focus on the…
Art of Japan and the reality of poverty: The independent spirit of Eisen 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…
Japanese art and Kawamura Kiyoo (1852-1934): Changing times but sublime 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 the…
Art of Japan and Ando Hiroshige: Landscapes to being a Buddhist Monk Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Japanese art internationally focuses overwhelmingly on rich cultural angles in relation to high culture and adorable landscapes by Edo and early Meiji artists based on different artistic concepts. One of the most famous Japanese artists internationally, without…
Japanese Art and a youthful flower cut down: Kaita Murayama Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist and writer Kaita Murayama faded from this earth at the young age of 22. In this sense, the “real Kaita” will never be known because of the limited work he produced based on his short life.…
Saburosuke Okada and Art of Japan: Impact of Paris 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, Taisho Era, and the early part of the Showa period of history.…
Ito Shinsui opened up the “old mirror” of Japanese art Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Ito Shinsui (1898-1972) is one of the greatest twentieth-century artists to emanate from Japan. Despite his early adorable landscapes, Shinsui is extremely famous because of his art related to depicting beautiful ladies (bijin-ga). In other words, Shinsui, just like…
Watanabe Kazan and Japan Art: Ideals of Confucianism to bleakness of Seppuku Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artist Watanabe Kazan (1793-1841) highlights the fact that social mobility could break the alleged stratification of old Japan. After all, he was born into a samurai family that was relatively poor. Despite this, Watanabe paid a…
Art of Japan: Esteemed family background of Kume Keiichirō 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 Meiji…
Art of Japan and Homage to Aert Van Der Neer Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artist Aert van der Neer (1603-1677) belongs to the Dutch Golden Age of art but sadly his life was blighted by poverty. It is difficult to imagine the real world that engulfed Dutch artists in the sixteenth and…
Contemporary Japanese Artist and Buddhism: Nichiren in the Snow during Exile on Sado Island Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Nichiren (1222-1282) is one of the most famous Buddhist teachers to emanate from Japan. Yet, he was very outspoken during his lifetime and this led him to be exiled and embroiled in the political processes…
Katsukawa Shunshō and Japanese Art (1726-1793): Major Influence in the Edo Period 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…
Japan Artist and the Frailty of Life: Yuzo Saeki and his one-sided love affair with France Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Yuzo Saeki is one of the most intriguing artists to have left the shores of the land of the rising sun. Sadly, his time on this earth was extremely limited because he perished…
Japanese Folklore, Shintoism, and Ghost Themes in Art Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Shintoism runs throughout the fabric of religion in Japan despite the powerful role of Buddhism within society. After all, Buddhism and other powerful influences including Confucianism emanate from outside this nation. Therefore, Shintoism influences folklore to various degrees throughout the ages…
Japanese Art and Power of Mount Fuji Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Mount Fuji in Japan means many things to different individuals because of the symbolic importance of this highly impressive and unique mountain. Internationally, Mount Fuji is famous and for individuals flying to Japan for the first time, then the view is amazing…
English Landscape Art by Japanese Artist: Nature, Old Christian Church, and Spirit of Shinto Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sawako Utsumi is a Japanese contemporary artist who fuses aspects of Japanese art with European art along with her own individualism. Her art pieces that focus on a laburnum tree and Blackley Forest in the…
Jakushitsu Genkō (1290-1367) and Buddhist Poetry in old Japan 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 statement…
Western Encroachment and Japanese Art: Yokohama-e and Sadahide 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 spectrums of…
Art and Cultural Impact of Tomoe Gozen: Female Warrior Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese legendary female warrior, Tomoe Gozen, is a prime example that the compliant image of females in old Japan and throughout the Tokugawa Period isn’t all that it appears. Indeed, the field of art equally breaks down the rigidity…
Japan Art and Shini-e: Death Prints Commemorating Artists, Kabuki Actors, and Musicians Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The world of ukiyo-e in Japan also covered the world of death by mainly commemorating artists, kabuki actors, and musicians through the medium of art. True to nature, farewell poems were included along with posthumous names linking…
