The battle of Dan-no-ura was a major battle of the Genpei war, occurring at Dan-no-ura, in the Shimonoseki Strait off the Southern tip of Honshu in the year 1185. One of the crucial factors that allowed the Minamoto to win the battle was that a Taira general Taguchi Shigeyoshi defected and attacked his Taira Clan from the rear. He also revealed to the Minamoto Clan which ship the 6 year-old Emperor Antoku was on...

A radical ink landscape by legendary artist Fukuda Kodojin. Ink on paper in a green silk patterned border set in beige with wood rollers. It is 13 x 70 inches (33 x 178 cm) and is in excellent condition.
Fukuda Kodojin (1865-1944) an eccentric self taught artist, his status as a poet, calligrapher and literati artist has reached legendary status...

Honda Tenjo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Seven Great Men. Ink on paper in a superlative silk mounting with ivory rollers (they will be changed if exporting). It is 26 x 85-1/2 inches (66.5 x 217 cm) and is in excellent condition. Honda Tenjo (1867-1946), born in Tokyo, initially studied western painting for five years under Kondo Katsumi before moving to Nihonga under Kano Hogai. Along with Okakura Shusui and Oka Fuho was to be called the four pillars of the Hogai Studio...

A most exciting find, a scroll by five of the greatest scholar-painters of the Meiji period, Tanomura Chokunyu, Suzuki Hyakunen, Tomioka Tessai, Nyoi Sanjin and Yamanaka Shinten-o; all of whom resided in Kyoto during the Meiji period. Ink on paper in a brown cloth border befitting the Daoist figures. It comes in an annotated by by Tessai from 1911. The scroll is 29-1/4 x 75-1/2 inches (74 x 192 cm) and is in excellent condition...

A museum quality work by 19th century great Oda Kaisen featuring vines burgeoning with ripe fruit under the epitaph “Painted on a muggy date (possibly “by moonlight” as the term keigetsu refers) in 1840”. Ink on silk in brass colored Satin patterned with tendrils of mist and featuring white piping in the Mincho style and ivory rollers typical of literati painting of the 19th century. It is 18-3/4 x 72-3/4 inches (47.5 x 184.5 cm) and is in excellent condition...

Two fox representing Inari, one of the principal kami (gods) of Shinto, are depicted on this Edo period talisman made at a shrine and traditionally hung in the home for protection. The two creatures hold in their mouths a buddhist jewel, symbol of knowledge, and a key to the kura, a storehouse for treasures. Between them is written Inari Daimyou Jin. Inari is the Japanese god of fertility, agriculture and of general prosperity and worldly success...

Japanese six panel byobu (folding screen painting). Hand-painted with imagery of realistic swimming fish and flowers with gold flecks. Signed in stylized calligraphy with 2 red chops.

Late Meiji/Early Taisho Period

Dimensions: 109" L x 53.75" H

A striking abstract work in red on silver over textured washi paper embedded with strands of tatami mat by revolutionary artist Hori Kosai signed ‘91 Hori. It is 13 x 23 cm (5 x 9 inches) mounted floating in a modern frame, pigments on hand-made Washi paper. Here is an opportunity to acquire an important abstract Japanese artist as yet entirely unexplored in the west.
Hori Kosai (b. 1947) is a contemporary artist and Lithographer from Toyama prefecture living in Tokyo...

A superb Silk landscape by Akamatsu Unrei enclosed in the original signed double wooden box (niju-bako) titled ChikusoYusei-Ga. The title and style of the buildings indicate this is likely the Yusei retirement home of Iwakura Tomomi in Northern Kyoto, designated a National Historic Site in 1932...

A skull lies ethereal, only a soft circle before the ghost-like apparition of a grave-marker rising from the boldly stroked dead grasses of some forgotten field...

A rush of water descends into mist between the rocky crags tinted with autumns color on this superb silk scroll by Ochi Shokan enclosed in the original signed double wooden box (niju bako) titled Shusei (Voice of Autumn). Top quality, it is mounted in striped silk extended with green and has large solid ivory rollers. The scroll measures 55 x 213 cm (21-1/2 inches x 7 feet). It is in fine condition...

Japanese 6-Panel byobu folding screen, with painting of a flowering wheat field under the full moon. The screen's paper hinges are done in gold gofun paper. Excellent condition, very presentable well suited for the times. The screen bears elements related to the Shijo School, hand-signed signature, with two red chops, attributed to Shiokawa Bunrin (1808-1877).

Taisho Period (Early 20th Century)

Dimensions: 150" L x 68" H

Full 6 panel Japanese screen painting of a sweeping landscape with mountains, low hills and a lake with Mt Fuji rising in the background. Around the edges of the lake are clustered tiny houses. Painted in light mineral colors and ink on paper with gold flecks.

Taisho Period (early 20th century)

Dimensions: 68 1/2" high x 142 1/2" long

Small scroll painting of the eccentric Zen priest Ikkyu Sojun dancing on top of the head of a skeleton, who is playing the shamisen. In his hands he holds his staff topped with a skull.
Scene from the story of the Hell Courtesan, as described by Santo Kyoden, the equivalent of memento mori.
Signed and sealed at lower right by the artist...

Oversized hanging scroll, portraying a beautiful young noble woman in travel dress, looking down and holding a large head. While her orange kimono is decorated with cherry blossoms, her overcoat is decorated with maple leaves in autumn colors. Signed: Tojo. Red seal: Seizan. Ink, mineral colors and gofun on silk. Japan, Taisho era, 1920s.

Image 74 x 32 inches
Mounting 90 x 40 inches. Wooden scroll ends.

Some minor cracks and losses to gofun, otherwise fine condition

A superb image by Hirai Baisen depicting the fire lit on the mountains surrounding Kyoto on the final day of Obon enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled “Okuribi”. It is performed with washes of ink and gold on silk, bordered in a fine frame of patterned brocade. It is 22 x 79 inches (56 x 200 cm). It features large ivory rollers, which will need to be changed if shipped outside Japan. There is a wrinkle in the scroll (not a hard crease) through the line of housing (see photo)...

Antique Japanese large 2-panel screen, depicting two large paintings of swimming carp and reeds in sumi ink. Gold leaf and silk borders each panel.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 74" L x 68.5" H

Unusual Japanese 2-panel calligraphy screen with highly stylized brushstrokes, bordered with silver leaf and silk. The left character reads "Gi" (or Righteousness); On the right reads "Dao" (the path or way). The inscriptions appear to mean "Righteousness must always be pursued".

Signature of a monk or a priest in his late 70s named Kakuan, appearing to date Spring 1851 with a description of the studio in which the painting was made. It is also written that Kakuan was overcome by gr...