Former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa (85 years old), who is active in artistic creation, dedicated eight fusuma paintings depicting clouds and dragons to Ryoanji Temple in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City. Together with the 32 pieces dedicated last spring, a total of 40 pieces have been completed, depicting dragons ranging from young to old, drawn with powerful brushstrokes.
Ryoan-ji Temple was founded by Katsumoto Hosokawa in 1450 and has connections with the Hosokawa family. The fusuma painting of the main hall, which was painted in the 1950s, was badly damaged, and Hosokawa proposed dedicating it to it when he visited Ryoan-ji 10 years ago.
He visited temples in Kyoto and Shiga, looked at paintings of dragons, developed an idea, and began creating the work in June 2019. It was dedicated in May of last year, the 550th anniversary of Katsumoto Hosokawa's death, and again this year.
The picture dedicated this time is a young dragon that has just been born and an old dragon. The older dragon has shortened horns and is resting on a rocky area, with stones from the rock garden of Ryoanji Temple depicted next to it.
Mr. Hosokawa said with a smile, ``I'm glad that it fits perfectly with the space of Ryoanji Temple.I was thinking of putting the largest stone in the rock garden somewhere.'' Chief Priest Yuhiro Matsuyama (37 years old) expressed his gratitude, saying, ``This is a very magnificent fusuma painting.Next year is the Year of the Dragon, so the dedication came at a perfect time.''
All 40 fusuma paintings will be on display until October 31st. The 32 paintings, excluding the eight dedicated this time, are scheduled to be exhibited from November 1st until the end of March next year. Admission fee required.
