2011.12.19

A special lecture "To become familiar with cultural property" at Ichihashi elementary school (Kyoto City)
~High-resolution facsimile of "The Wind and Thunder Gods" by Tawaraya Sotatsu~

On December 19, Kyoto National Museum and the Kyoto Culture Association together held a special lecture, using the high-resolution facsimile of the National Treasure "The Wind and Thunder Gods" by Tawaraya Sotatsu, owned by Kenninji. The work is deeply associated with Kyoto. The lecture was held for a total of 17 sixth grade students of Ichihashi elementary school.
The lecture was led by volunteers of university and graduate school students, called "Cultural Property Sommelier" who had taken special schooling at Kyoto National museum.
The lecture was held during their arts and crafts class by using the real scale facsimile of the property. Students appreciated "The Wind and Thunder Gods" at a short distance.
Sommeliers introduced students about lives of people in the Edo era by showing them images of the national treasure,“Scenes in and around Kyoto. Uesugi version” by Kano Eitoku, which was created in the same period as “The Wind and Thunder Gods”.
Students learnt that since at that time, there was no weather forecast so that people thought those gods who handle nature such as wind and rain, which human could not handle, were sacrament.
The students thought about the composition of the work. The wind god and thunder god were on the upper sides of each screen, if they were depicted on the middle or other space, there would not be divinity and motion felt.
Students found that “if both gods were on the lower place of the screen, there would not be divinity”, “if there were no cloud depicted, the image would see no motion”.

2011.12.14

Tsuzuri project: The high-resolution facsimiles of the important cultural property “Wall and screen paintings of Hojo hall of Kenninji” by Kaiho Yusho donated to Kenninji
~Kenninji~

As a part of Tsuzuri project: Cultural Heritage Inheritance Project, Kyoto Culture Association and Canon Inc. together have been creating the high-resolution facsimiles of a total of 50 wall and screen paintings of Hojo hall of Kenninji. “Wall and screen paintings of Hojo hall of Kenninji” by Kaiho Yusho are important cultural properties.
Newly 20 wall and screen paintings: 16 works from “Seven Sages in a Bamboo Grove”; 4 from “Landscape” were completed and on December 14, donated to Kenninji.
The facsimiles will be open to the public.

2011.11.30

A special lecture "To become familiar with cultural property" at Takagamine elementary school (Kyoto City)
~High-resolution facsimile of “Tsuru Shitae Waka-kan” calligraphy by Honami Koetsu, underpainting by Tawaraya Sotatsu~

On November 30, Kyoto National Museum and the Kyoto Culture Association together held a special lecture, using the high-resolution facsimile of the important cultural property “Tsuru Shitae Waka-kan” (poem scroll with underpainting of cranes) calligraphy by Honami Koetsu, underpainting by Tawaraya Sotatsu, original work is owned by Kyoto National Museum. The work is deeply associated with Kyoto. The lecture was held for a total of 40 sixth grade students of Takagamine elementary school.

The lecture was led in turn by 4 volunteers of university and graduate school students, called "Cultural Property Sommelier" who had taken special schooling at Kyoto National museum. Students were divided into 2 groups and the same lectures were held for each group.
The lectures were held during their art class as a part of artistic education.
Kyoto Culture Association created the facsimile with a big support of Kyoto National Museum and donated to Takagamine elementary school, which the school locates where Honami Koetsu, who created “Tsuru Shitae Waka-kan” , had built an art village.

At the lecture, sommeliers showed students how to handle the scroll and some students experienced handling the facsimile. First to prevent the facsimile to get dirt, they cleaned their hands. Then open the scroll to the width of their shoulder, and appreciated from right side to left side. Students examined the scroll at their own pace and learnt that the flow of time of images depicted in the scroll also moved from right to left.
Sommeliers explained about the work that the artist only used gold and silver muds and depicted the cranes with few brushes. Students appreciated the cranes that had rested at the river bank take off o the sky, low-altitude flight first and then gradually gain altitude. The artist depicted this scene within only 34cm elongated screen.
Some student said that “We will keep the scroll as the new treasure of the Takagamine elementary school and we will hand down what we learnt today to the next generations”.

2011.11.28

A special lecture "To become familiar with cultural property" at Hachigaoka junior high school (Kyoto City)
~High-resolution facsimile of "The Wind and Thunder Gods" by Tawaraya Sotatsu~

On November 11, Kyoto National Museum and the Kyoto Culture Association together held a special lecture, using the high-resolution facsimile of the National Treasure "The Wind and Thunder Gods" by Tawaraya Sotatsu, owned by Kenninji. The work is deeply associated with Kyoto. The lecture was held for a total of 220 seventh grade students, among 6 classes, of Hachigaoka junior high school.
The lecture was led in turn by 8 volunteers of university and graduate school students, called "Cultural Property Sommelier" who had taken special schooling at Kyoto National museum. Since there were 6 classes, the same lectures were held 6 times.
The lectures were held during their art class as a part of artistic education.
Students learnt the composition of the work. First, the small samples of the screens and the two different sizes (big and small) of each Wind god and Thunder god were provided to the students. Then students asked to think which size of the god would be match for the screens and where they should be placed in the screens. Students were divided into groups and created their own screens. Students composed the screens by carefully examining the eye lines of both gods and also their flowing hair. After the work, students appreciated the facsimile of "The Wind and Thunder Gods" then, they found out differences and commonalities between their composition and Sotatsu’s composition.
After that students gathered together around the screens and appreciated Sotatsu’s "The Wind and Thunder Gods".

2011.10.31

A special lecture "To become familiar with cultural property" at Shinto elementary school (Kyoto City)
~High-resolution facsimile of "The Wind and Thunder Gods" by Tawaraya Sotatsu~

On October 31, Kyoto National Museum and the Kyoto Culture Association together held a special lecture, using the high-resolution facsimile of the National Treasure "The Wind and Thunder Gods" by Tawaraya Sotatsu, owned by Kenninji. The work is deeply associated with Kyoto. The lecture was held for a total of 13 sixth grade students of Shinto elementary school.
The lecture was led by volunteers of university and graduate school students, called "Cultural Property Sommelier" who had taken special schooling at Kyoto National museum.

At the lecture, students appreciated the facsimile which was displayed tatami, Japanese matting so that they could enjoy the facsimile as the same eye line of people lived in the Edo period. Sommeliers explained students about details of the work, artist and materials that were used to create the original work.
Also sommeliers noted that the work depicted a blink of the flow of time. Then students imagined what will happen to the gods after the moment that depicted on the screens.
The small samples of the screens and the Wind god and the Thunder god were provided to the students so that they put both gods in the place where they thought that gods will move and then they also thought about what conversation both gods will have. Then, the students shared their works with class mates.

2011.10.29

~High-resolution facsimile of the important cultural property “Tsuru Shitae Waka-kan” calligraphy by Honami Koetsu, underpainting by Tawaraya Sotatsu was donated to Takagamine elementary school~

Kyoto Cultural Association donated the high-resolution facsimile of the important cultural property “Tsuru Shitae Waka-kan” (poem scroll with underpainting of cranes) calligraphy by Honami Koetsu, underpainting by Tawaraya Sotatsu, original work is owned by Kyoto National Museum, to Takagamine elementary school as to use the facsimile as a learning material for cultural learning. The school is located where Honami Koetsu built art village called “Koetsu mura”. The real scale facsimile was completed with a big support of Kyoto National Museum.
The facsimile will be used at the school for education to learn their home town and also used at a special lecture "To become familiar with cultural property" which Kyoto National Museum and the Kyoto Culture Association have organized.

2011.10.03

A special lecture "To become familiar with cultural property" at Kinkaku elementary school (Kyoto City)
~High-resolution facsimile of “Eight-Planked Bridge” by Ogata Korin~

On October 3, Kyoto National Museum and the Kyoto Culture Association together held a special lecture, using the high-resolution facsimile of “Eight-Planked Bridge” by Ogata Korin, the original work is owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, for 110 sixth grade students, among 3 classes, of Kinkaku elementary school in Kyoto. The work is deeply associated with Kyoto.
The lecture was led by volunteers of university and graduate school students, called "Cultural Property Sommelier" who had taken special schooling at Kyoto National museum.
At the lecture, sommeliers explained about the “Ise Story” which became the subject of “Eight-Planked Bridge”. The story was written in the Heian period. Ariwarano Narihito who is the main character of the story, left Kyoto for Edo. At Mikawa (Aichi prefecture), he saw kakitsubata (iris) blossomed on the banks of river and he created waka poetry, using the capital letter of the flower. He expressed his nostalgia for home town. “Eight-Planked Bridge” depicted that scene.

Then students appreciate the facsimile.

At the appreciation, students first saw the facsimile which displayed flatwise, then saw the facsimile displayed in a zig-zag manner which is the proper display manner of the screens. Students found that in a zig-zag manner, the work had more depth and spatial effect. Sommeliers also noted that although recently 3D movies and TV games gained popularity, people in thee Edo period also had been enjoyed a sense of depth.
Also sommeliers introduced that people in Edo period had rich culture so that they could understand the “Eight-Planked Bridge” which only iris and bridge was depicted, was from the scene written in “Ise Story”.

2011.07.13

A special lecture "To become familiar with cultural property" at Noso elementary school (Kyoto City)
~High-resolution facsimile of "The Wind and Thunder Gods" by Tawaraya Sotatsu~

On July 13, Kyoto National Museum and the Kyoto Culture Association together held a special lecture, using the high-resolution facsimile of the National Treasure "The Wind and Thunder Gods" by Tawaraya Sotatsu, owned by Kenninji. The work is deeply associated with Kyoto. The lecture was held for a total of 120 fifth and sixth grade students of Noso elementary school, and also their parents.
The lecture was led by volunteers of university and graduate school students, called "Cultural Property Sommelier" who had taken special schooling at Kyoto National museum, and also led by Dr. Mizutani, anassociated fellow of Kyoto National Museum.

At the lecture, sommeliers explained students about the work, showing them the full-scale facsimile. Students shared their impression about "The Wind and Thunder Gods". Some student said “it is impressive work”. Also to express their findings that they got through the appreciation of the facsimile in their words, students tried to guess what both gods are saying and then fill in words on the paper which the wind god and thunder god were printed.

Fifth grade students had a lecture about the materials that the artist used for the work, such as gold leaf, mineral pigments and glue.
On the other hand, sixth grade students had a lecture about the Edo period, the period “The Wind and Thunder Gods” was created, by showing them zoomed images of the national treasure, “Scenes in and around Kyoto. Uesugi version” by Kano Eitoku, which the work was created in the same period as “The Wind and Thunder Gods”. Students learnt living life of people in the Edo period and also about Yodo castle which is located close to Noso elementary school.

2011.07.12

A special lecture ~Let’s make a “Tsuru Shitae Waka-kan” calligraphy by Honami Koetsu, underpainting by Tawaraya Sotatsu ~ was held for the fifth and sixth grade students of Takagamine elementary school at Kyoto Culture Association

This Autumn, Kyoto Culture Association will donate the high-resolution facsimile of the important cultural property “Tsuru Shitae Waka-kan” (poem scroll with underpainting of cranes) calligraphy by Honami Koetsu, underpainting by Tawaraya Sotatsu, original work is owned by Kyoto National Museum, to Takagamine elementary school (Kyoto city) where the area that the school located is deeply associated with Honami Koetsu. The facsimile will be used for educational purpose.

Before the donation, we invite the fifth and sixth grade students of Takagamine elementary school to Kyoto Cultural Association as to provide them an opportunity to know the process to create the high-resolution facsimile of the scroll by using traditional craft and newest technology. Staff of Nakanuma Art Screen Co.,Ltd, the company in charge of printing the scroll, explain the process of printing scroll on Washi, Japanese paper. Then a master of gold leaf, Hiroto Rakusho, demonstrated how to put gold leaves on the scroll, and finally, Yokoyama Hirokazu, a master of mounting, showed how to mount the paper.
We also provide students a story of importance of cultural properties.

2011.07.04

Kyoto Inheritance of Beauty
~Exhibition of the high-resolution facsimiles of cultural properties in Toyota~

The exhibition of the high-resolution facsimiles of cultural properties will be held at the Premium Salon of Tokai Tokyo Securities Co., Ltd. in Toyota, from July 23 through August 5, 2011.
There will be high-resolution facsimiles of national treasures and important cultural properties such as “The Wind and Thunder Gods” owned by Kenninji temple which had been displayed at Louvre Museum and the Touyako Summit.

Period: July 23, 2011 (Sat) ~ August 5, 2011 (Sun)
Hours: 10am~4pm
Place: Premium Salon of Tokai Tokyo Securities Co., Ltd. in Toyota
Admission: Free

Works：
National Treasure “The Wind and Thunder Gods” by Tawaraya Sotatsu (Original work owned by Kenninji temple);
“Eight-Planked Bridge” by Ogata Korin (Original work owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Important cultural property “Dragon and Tigers” by Kano Sanraku (Original work owned by Myoshinji temple)
Important cultural property “Pine Tree and Hawk” by Kano school (Original work owned by Nijo castle)

*Special program*
During the exhibition, there will be special tea ceremonies and "Kids zazen-kai"（a Zen meditational retreat）presented by Kenninji temple

Special tea ceremony “Yotsugashira tea ceremony” is Zen style tea ceremony which is the original of Japanese tea ceremony
July 23 (Sat)
August 2 (Tue)
*Prior booking essential

“Kids zazen-kai”
July 24 (Sun)
August 3 (Wed)
*Prior booking essential

Please contact below about the time of the special programs
Booking will end when all positions are filled.

Please visit the web-page of Tokai Tokyo Securities Co., Ltd.
Contact: Tokai Tokyo Securities Co., Ltd. Customer support 0120-746-104

2011.06.29

Introduced activities of the Kyoto Culture Association at the department of literature at Ritsumeikan University

We introduced our activities and the Tsuzuri Project: Cultural Heritage Inheritance Project, organized by Canon Inc. and our association, at the special lecture of cultural science held at the department of literature at Ritsumeikan University
Students learnt the meaning of activities to familiarize cultural properties to people and also technique of all ages which support the activities.

2011.05.01

Stage 4, Donation Ceremony

From April 18 through 27, Kyoto Culture Association and Canon Inc. had donated high-resolution facsimiles completed through the stage 4 of the Tsuzuri project: Cultural Heritage Inheritance Project.

The works completed in Stage 4 are as follows:
National Treasure “One of Three Portraits of the Jingoji Temple,” attributed to Fujiwara no Takanobu: Collection of Jingoji temple; Donated to Jingoji temple

Important Cultural Property “Dragon and Clouds on the north side of Rei-no-ma room in Kenninji temple” by Kaiho Yusho: Collection of Kenninji temple; Donated to Kenninji temple

Important Cultural Property “Flowers and Birds on the west side of Sho-in room in Kenninji temple” by Kaiho Yusho: Collection of Kenninji temple; Donated to Kenninji temple

Important Cultural Property “Flowers and Birds on the south side of Sho-in room in Kenninji temple” by Kaiho Yusho: Collection of Kenninji temple; Donated to Kenninji temple

“Dragon and Clouds” by Tawaraya Sotatsu: Collection of Freer Gallery of Art; Donated to the University Art Museum - Tokyo University of the Arts

National Treasure “The Wind and Thunder Gods” by Tawaraya Sotatsu: Collection of Kenninji temple; Donated to Kenninji temple

“Viewing Cherry Blossoms at Ueno Park and Autumn at Asakusa” by Hishikawa Moronobu: Collection of Freer Gallery of Art; Donated to Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba

National Treasure “Pine Trees in the Snow” by Maruyama Okyo: Collection of Mitsui Memorial Museum; Donated to Mitsui Memorial Museum

2011.04.11

Kenninji temple Spring Special Exhibition "Tsuzuri Project Exhibition"
~Reproducing Japanese cultural properties by using both latest digital technology and technique of traditional craftsmanship~ was ended.

We had a very large number of visitors come to the exhibition. We would like to express our gratitude.

2011.03.19

Kenninji temple Spring Special Exhibition "Tsuzuri Project Exhibition"
~Reproducing Japanese cultural properties by using both latest digital technology and technique of traditional craftsmanship~

There will be a special exhibition of high-resolution facsimiles of cultural properties, at Kenninji temple in Kyoto, from March 19 through April 10, 2011.
The previous exhibition held at Kennji temple in last autumn was very popular. Spring exhibition is posterior half of the exhibition. At the exhibition, 8 facsimiles of cultural properties created under Tsuzuri Project, will be displayed. Those 8 works are which were not displayed during the previous exhibition.
There will be high-resolution facsimile of the National Treasure “The Wind and Thunder Gods” by Tawaraya Sotatsu, which was displayed at Shanghai Expo 2010. Also high-resolution facsimile of the National treasure“Scenes in and around Kyoto. Uesugi version”by Kano Eitoku which was used in the period drama, “Tenchijin.”

Period: March 19, 2011 (Sat) ~ April 10, 2011 (Sun)
Hours: 10am~5pm (the ticket desk close at 4:30pm)
Place: Kenninji temple
Admission: ¥500; High school and junior high school students: ¥300; elementary school students and under are free.

Works：
National Treasure “The Wind and Thunder Gods” by Tawaraya Sotatsu (Original work owned by Kenninji temple);
National Treasure “Scenes in and around Kyoto. Uesugi version”by Kano Eitoku (Original work owned by Yonezawa City Uesugi Museum);
National Treasure“Two of Three Portraits of the Jingoji Temple,” attributed to Fujiwara no Takanobu (Original work owned by Jingoji temple)
National Treasure “Landscapes of the Four Seasons” by Sesshu (Original work owned by Mohri Museum)
Important Cultural Property “Namban Screens” by Kano Naizen (Original work owned by Kobe City Museum)
Important Cultural Property “Flowers and Birds of the Four Seasons” by Kano Motonobu (Original work owned by Hakutsuru Fine Art Museum)
Important Cultural Property “Landscapes” by Hasegawa Tohaku (Original work owned by Entokuin temple)
“Birds and Animals in the Flower Garden” by Ito Jakuchu (Original work owned by Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art)

*Special program*

Kids Program:
○Special lecture for elementary and junior high school students:
Held by Kyoto National Museum, Kyoto Culture Association
* Prior booking essential

March 28 (Mon), April 4 (Mon), twice a day: 11:00/14:00

○Cultural Property Quiz tour
Held by Kyoto Culture Association
* Prior booking essential

March 27 (Sun), April 3 (Sun), twice a day: 11:00/14:00

○Demonstration by a master of gold leaf, Hiroto Rakusho:
March 27 (Sun), 28 (Mon), April 3 (Sun), 4 (Mon) Twice a day: 11:30/14:30

2011.03.15

Cultural Property Sommelier wanted!

Learning support program for elementary and junior high school students: using high-resolution facsimiles of cultural properties as leaning materials
“Cultural Property Sommelier”　application information

Kyoto National Museum and Kyoto Culture Association have been holding special lectures, "To become familiar with cultural property" as to offer children opportunities to be more familiar with Japanese cultural properties and to raise their interests on those assets.
At the lecture, held at elementary and junior high schools in Kyoto, the high-resolution facsimiles of national treasures and important cultural properties are used as learning materials.
Instructors of the lectures, called “Cultural Property Sommelier” are volunteers who learn art history at university and graduate schools. Today there are 7 Cultural Property Sommeliers.

We look for university or graduate students who are able to participate in the project as the second generation sommeliers. The special schooling about cultural properties and content of a lecture will be held by an associate fellow of Kyoto National Museum.

We seek university or graduate students who are able to participate in the project from next spring. The schooling will start in April 2011, and teaching at elementary and junior high schools will start in September 2011. There will be gratuity for the activities

The requirements for the application are as follows:
・Students of university or graduate schools in Kyoto.
・Who has or had taken Japanese Art History class
・Whose university or graduate school must be campus members of Kyoto National Museum
・Who will be able to participate schoolings once a month (Monday)

About 5 people
Please note, if we receive more than 5 applications, there will be interview.

Starting from the middle of March 2011. Deadline April 10, 2011

＜Schooling＞
Two-hour session for once a month (Monday 13:00~15:00)
Participates will receive a detail later.

Place: Kyoto National Museum (There might be some exception such as lectures at schools)
Teacher: an associate fellow of Kyoto National Museum
Content: lecture about cultural properties; teaching methods etc.

＜Contact＞
Fujita Utako, Kyoto Culture Association: fujita@kyo-bunka.or.jp
Please send an e-mail.

＜Application＞
Please send an e-mail to Fujita Utako, Kyoto Culture Association: fujita@kyo-bunka.or.jp
Please mention your address, name, contact number, e-mail address, enrolled university, major, concentration and field of research.
Kyoto National Museum, NPO Kyoto Culture Association
Supported by: Kyoto City Board of Education

2011.02.08

High-resolution facsimile of the National Treasure “The Wind and Thunder Gods” by Tawaraya Sotatsu donated to Kenninji temple.

High-resolution facsimile of the National Treasure “The Wind and Thunder Gods” by Tawaraya Sotatsu owned by Kenninji temple was donated to Kenninji temple on February 8, 2011.
The facsimile was created upon Tsuzuri Project as to display in the Japanese Pavilion of Shanghai Expo 2010 in Shanghai. The facsimile will be opened to the public.

2011.01.28

A special lecture "To become familiar with cultural property" at Ishida elementary school (Kyoto City)
~High-resolution facsimile of Nijo castle’s “Pine Tree and Hawk” by Kano school/ Virtual Reality of Silver Pavilion~ ~

On January 28, Kyoto National Museum and the Kyoto Culture Association together held a special lecture, using the high-resolution facsimile of Nijo castle’s “Pine Tree and Hawk”, which the original work is deeply associated with Kyoto, for 70 fifth and sixth grade students, among 2 classes, of Ishida elementary school in Kyoto.

At the lecture, students directly appreciated the high-resolution facsimile. The instructor asked students about their images of the pine tree and the hawk.
Also the instructor explained them about the work, showing them pictures of the room where the original work had been placed. Also students were divided into groups as to discuss about the other works in the castle. By showing them pictures of the floor plan of the castle and works on room partitions, the instructor asked students to guess the function of each room and in which room, each work is placed.
The lecture was led by four volunteers in rotation. These volunteers, university and graduate school students, are called "Cultural Property Sommelier" who had taken special schooling at Kyoto National museum.

Also in the other class room, TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD., and Kyoto Culture Association together held another special lecture, using Virtual Reality of Silver Pavilion.
At the lecture, Mr. Nobuki Goto, a graduate student of Osaka Prefecture University showed students Virtual Reality, explaining about the building which Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa built with his aesthetics, and also he told student about Tougudou, the building where its room style: the shoin style, became the model of today’s Japanese style room.