No. 19 The Temple Gate

This vibrant kakemono is inspired by Buson's haiku below and depicts a Torii Gate - a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred.

Cherry blooms are falling -
and now between the trees,
a temple appears.

Buson is regarded as one of the four haiku masters in Japan, along with Issa, Basho and Shiki — "the Great Four".

Kakemonos - usually placed in a niche as one enters the house [ t o k o n o m a ] - are meant to encourage one towards reflection on the current season and introspection as well - perhaps before savouring a cup of tea.

The scroll is handpainted and handwritten with ink and entirely handmade.

Dimensions: 28cmW x 59cmH