Japan

Flowers and Birds of the Twelve Months, one of a pair (1703), by Yamamoto Soken (1683-1706). Japan. Six panel folding screen; Ink and colors on silk. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60D82+.1.

The Kano school, established by Kano Masanobu (1434–1530), primarily served the samurai class. Their bold designs of powerful animals and symbolic plants and trees, blending aspects of native Japanese with Chinese styles, were the perfect decoration for screens and sliding doors in the large official audience halls in samurai residences. Learn more.

Fire procession costume, approx. 1700–1900. Japan. Silk, linen, and arrowroot (kuzu). The Avery Brundage Collection, 1991.137.

Festivities of the Twelve Months, approx. 1700-1800. Japan. Handscroll; ink and colors on paper. The Avery Brundage Collection, B86D19.

Festival of Sumiyoshi Shrine, one of a pair, 1650–1700. Six panel folding screen; ink, colors and gold on paper. Transfer from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Gift of Mrs. Herbert Fleishacker, B69D58.

Female Shinto spirit, Heian period (794–1185) or Kamakura period (1185–1333), approx. 1100–1200. Japan. Wood with traces of pigment. Transfer from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Gift of Mrs. Herbert Fleishacker, B69S36.

After 150 year of civil war, the Shogunate in Japan was determined to enforce and maintain a stable society. The Shogunate further extended its control of the people through a class system with social and economic constraints. The highest class was composed of the samurai, followed by farmers, craftsmen, and at the lowest level, merchants.

The first man across the Uji River and the battle of Awazugahara, From The Tale of the Heike, one of a pair, late 1600s. Japan. Six panel folding screen; ink, colors and gold on paper. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60D60+.

Overview of the Hokusai and Hiroshige: Great Japanese Prints from the James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts exhibition that took place at the Asian Art Museum from September 26–December 6, 1998 (filmed at former museum location in Golden Gate Park).

A host may spend weeks planning for a tea gathering, including making decisions about which group of utensils to use. The assemblage of objects will reflect the season, complement and contrast with each other, and, ideally, create a theme or context that the host and guest will explore together during the course of the tea gathering. Learn more.