Featured Events in Kyoto in October, 2025 (May Updated)

Domoto Insho (1891-1975) entered the Kyoto Municipal Painting School in 1918, and in 1920, he studied at the Seikosha art school established by Nishiyama Suisho. He was active mainly in official exhibitions, winning his first prize at the first Teiten Exhibition for his work Fukakusa, receiving a special prize at the third Teiten Exhibition for his work Chojumarizu, and winning the Imperial Art Academy Prize at the sixth Teiten Exhibition for his work Kegon. He was known for his detailed figurative paintings, but after he turned 60 and traveled to Europe, he shifted to an abstract style, completing abstract paintings with dynamic brush strokes. This exhibition, held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Domoto Insho's death, is a major retrospective that looks back on his career, focusing on his representative works, including those exhibited at official exhibitions, and offers a comprehensive look at this artist who was famous not only in the Kyoto art world but throughout Japan.

Yakushigawa Chiharu has developed a distinctive style of abstract painting based on the relationship between “pairs.” In herrubseries, in which she applies handmade pigment to both hands and feet, pairs of two or four colors are arranged opposite one another, leaving traces that evoke her bodily movements. Positioned side by side on a single surface, the colors sometimes appear to encroach upon one another’s territory. Additionally, in her recentknockseries, Yakushigawa paints the surface by knocking on it with paint-covered hands, as if signaling to an unseen counterpart on the opposite side.This exhibition will showcase new works centered around the knock series. When confronted with Yakushigawa’s works, what might we imagine lies beyond the painted surface?

The Mingei movement began through gatherings in Kyoto between philosopher Yanagi Soetsu, and potters Kawai Kanjiro and Hamada Shoji. During a research trip to study Mokujiki’s wood-carved Buddhist statues , their discussions deepened, leading to the coining of the term “mingei” (“folk art”) in 1925. To mark the 100th anniversary of the term’s inception, we are holding the special exhibition,The 100th Anniversary of Mingei: Kyoto’s Legacy of Everyday Life,which reveals the relationship between Mingei and Kyoto.

Song and Yuan Buddhist paintings are Buddhist paintings created during the Song and Yuan dynasties in China. Japan has been a devout believer in Buddhism since ancient times, and imported many cultural artifacts from China, which was a leading country in Buddhism. Song and Yuan Buddhist paintings, which were brought to Japan mainly from the late Heian period to the Kamakura period, include many works of extremely high quality that are noteworthy in the history of Chinese painting. These were enshrined in temples and served as models for painters, and have deeply penetrated Japanese culture over a long period of time. This exhibition will collect Song and Yuan Buddhist paintings held in Japan and introduce the characteristics of each one in the context of the place where they were created. Although they are all grouped together under the term "Song and Yuan Buddhist paintings," their aspects are complex and diverse, including the content depicted, the era and region in which they were created, and the people involved. We hope that this exhibition will provide an opportunity to unravel the appeal of Song and Yuan Buddhist paintings and to reexamine the international nature, tolerance, and diversity of Japanese culture that has passed down these paintings.

What exactly is the nature of a child? Adorable and pure. Free yet bearing a sense of fragility. These perceptions of children are, in many ways, discoveries that were made anew in the modern era. The Meiji period saw the establishment of schools, leading to the development of children’s education. By the Taisho period, a distinct children’s culture had been established, including children’s magazines and nursery rhymes, and many cultural figures, such as authors and composers, turned their attention to children. In this climate, many modern painters also began to observe and depict children in their works—as symbols of purity, expressions of youthful vitality, or as beloved family members. Numerous works featuring children are also housed in the Museum Collection. This Special Display, centered on paintings themed around children, will reflect on the “gaze towards children” in the modern era