Admiring moon and water through Japanese art at Sannomaru Shozokan

Ka-cho-fu-getsu (literally: flower, birds, wind and moon) is a four-character idiomatic phrase in Japanese which alludes to the beauty of nature or scenic landscapes, and the perennial theme in Japanese art. The Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan (Tokyo), which houses a number of magnificent artwork themed on ka-cho-fu-getsu, has selected from among them 27 works (paintings, calligraphy and decorative arts) that highlight the beauty of the moon and water in landscapes (rain, rivers, waterfalls, lakes and such) to showcase in “Nature’s Splendor: Scenes of the Moon and Water,” an art exhibition set for autumn 2024.

Nature’s Splendor: Scenes of the Moon and Water

Sep 10 (Tue) – Oct 20 (Sun), 2024

The Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan
(East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, Tokyo)

*See outline below for details

Among the must-sees in the exhibition, which opens on Sept. 10, 2024, is the “Snow, Moon, and Flowers” (dated 1937; see top photo), a set of three hanging scroll paintings depicting elegant women of the Heian-period court, and said to be the life work of nihonga (Japanese-style painting) artist Uemura Shoen (1875-1949). It took the artist more than 20 years to complete the paintings made on order from Empress Teimei (1884-1951; wife of Emperor Taisho).

Another hanging scroll painting to look for is the “Plum Blossoms and Moon” from the “Colorful Realm of Living Beings” (18th century; designated national treasure), a series of 30 paintings by popular Edo-period artist Ito Jakuchu (1716-1800). The series is well known for the realistic and meticulous depictions of various fauna and flora closely observed by the pre-modern painter, although this one lacks the fauna and has a full moon in the background instead to impress its viewers.

The “Writing Box with Scenes of Ishiyamadera Temple” (dated 1899) by Imperial Household artist Kawanobe Itcho (1830-1910) will be found in the first section of the exhibition, which focuses on the decorative arts. The writing box, or ink-stone box, together with an accompanying writing table, depicts the temple in Otsu and its surroundings, where, during the Heian period (8th-12th century), lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu is said to have been inspired to write “The Tale of Genji.” The reflection of the moon on the surface of a lake by the temple is expressed in gold on the table.

The exhibition runs through Oct. 20, 2024.

Other works to go on display:

*All works included in this exhibition are housed in the Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan.