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Masayuki Kojo samurai portraits at Kanda Myojin
Bujin-ga is my new Japanese word. What about you, have you heard of it? It means samurai portraits. And Kanda Myojin, one of Tokyo’s most important shrines, had an exhibit of them. Luckily, cameras were allowed.
The exhibition celebrated the 10th anniversary of the samurai painter Masayuki Kojo. He is a professional painter of Japan’s legendary warriors. This event was titled “Preparation.” It was a good name.
Masayuki sees samurai not as fighters but as “a person who is prepared.” His paintings depict moments of preparation. In a way, they aren’t about fighting at all. Look at each subject’s face, and you can see they are ready for what they are about to face.
His bujin-ga are simple. They are in Sumi-e style, black ink on paper. And Bujin-ga started during the Kamakura period (1185-1333). So Masayuki is carrying on an age-old tradition.
He doesn’t only depict Japan’s samurai. His work also includes modern-day fictitious characters from Star Wars and One Piece. But, the Kanda Myojin exhibit focuses on portraits of the Heian era (794-1185).
There was also other art. I wasn’t familiar with them, and there was little information. Their work was great, but it was in color, and some were more stylized.
I enjoyed the event. And it wasn’t only about Masayuki’s samurai portraits. He also has items from Japan’s medieval period, which he displayed. Those of Kanda Myojin supplemented these. Some of the things I saw were:
- Wrestling mask
- Ema (votive tablets)
- Momori (amulets)
- Sake bottles
- Armor
- Saddles
- Flags
- Mikoshi
I had one complaint. Photography wasn’t allowed on the third floor. It had some great exhibits, like a mikoshi (portable shrine) and armor. But I was there for the bujin-ga on the second floor. So that was okay, I guess.
Actually, there was one more, minor problem. When you moved to the exhibit rooms, they were dark and spooky. That caused confusion. Was I in the right place? After some hesitation, I stepped forward, and lights came on. They had motion sensors!
Masayuki Kojo's “Preparation” exhibit details
- When: June 4th (Sat) -July 10th (Sun), 2022
- Opening hours: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. You can buy tickets until 3:45 pm.
- Where: Kanda Myojin Cultural Exchange Center 1st floor. Once you receive your ticket, move down to the basement and follow the arrows.
- Admission costs: 300 yen
Wrapping up
Preparation is small, and it won’t take long to see it. But 300 yen is a small price for fans of Masayuki Kojo and his samurai portraits. And you will also get to see some other artists’ work too.
Make sure you walk around the shrine while you are there. Kanda Myojin is a beautiful place, especially in spring. It has some beautiful cherry blossoms.
What camera gear did I use for these Samurai Portraits?
- Camera body: Fujifilm X-T3
- Lens: Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
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External related websites
- Soul of Japan (Masayuki Kojo’ website)