Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine commissioned Tomoyuki Kobe, an artist representing the world of contemporary Japanese painting, to create a fusuma painting commemorating the Shikinen Taisai Festival, which took 10 years to complete. An exhibition showing 24 original paintings is being held at the Takasaki City Tower Art Museum ahead of the rest of the country. The exhibition period is until Sunday, June 2024, 6.

At Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine (Dazaifu City, Fukuoka Prefecture), the modern Japanese-style "Document Hall" was built to commemorate the 1125th anniversary of the 35th anniversary festival in 1902, as part of various cultural projects leading up to the 1000th anniversary of the festival. Commissioned Japanese painter Tomoyuki Kobe to create 24 fusuma paintings for the event.

This exhibition will feature the original drawings for this fusuma painting, which was just completed in December last year, Kobe's works in the collection of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, and 12 original hanging paper drawings by Kobe for Suzukake, a long-established Japanese confectionery shop in Hakata. Exhibiting works centered on. The exhibition will start at the Takasaki City Tower Museum of Art, then travel to three museums: the Gifu Prefectural Museum of Art, and the Niimi Museum of Art in Okayama Prefecture.

Tomoyuki Kobe is a Japanese painter who has been attracting attention for his seasonal works that depict human activities in the form of small creatures. His unique technique of layering extremely thin Japanese paper and coloring, which he arrived at after learning from the classics and exploring art materials and techniques, gives his works a unique atmosphere and depth, and his delicate expressions have been admired by many people. It's fascinating.

Kobe moved to Dazaifu with his family 10 years ago to create fusuma paintings, and since then he has been working on his works while praying to Tenjin and feeling the changing seasons in the temple grounds every day.

This is a rare opportunity to take a quick look at the spectacular works that will be made into sliding doors and placed in the Archives after the touring exhibition ends. Why not come and experience the brilliance of nature and life woven together by the light and rich colors, and the 1000-year-old prayers of Dazaifu that have been passed down from generation to generation.

◆Kobe Michizane 1125 Dazaifu Tenmangu Ceremony Annual Grand Festival Commemoration “Kobe Tomoyuki - Painting a Thousand Years”
[Period] Currently being held - Sunday, May 2024, 6
[Venue] Takasaki City Tower Art Museum (3-23 Sakaemachi, Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture)
[Opening period] 10:00-18:00, Fridays only 10:00-20:00
[Closed] Mondays (open if Monday is a holiday and closed the next day)

*Future traveling exhibition information
July 2024th (Saturday) to September 7th (Sunday), 6 Gifu Prefectural Museum of Art (Gifu Prefecture)
September 2024th (Sunday) - November 9th (Sunday), 15 Niimi Museum of Art (Okayama Prefecture)
After the renovation of the main hall is completed, the fusuma paintings are scheduled to be exhibited at the "Document Hall" on the grounds of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine in 2027.