Photo/Illutration The Ukimido hall portrayed in "Basho-o Ekotoba-den" (Provided by the Otsu City Museum of History)

OTSU--Spanning 40 meters, a three-volume picture scroll depicting the life of poet Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) is on view in its entirety for the first time at the Otsu City Museum of History here.

"Basho-o Ekotoba-den" (The Life of the Venerable Basho in Pictures and Words) is on display as part of a special exhibition titled "Basho-o Ekotoba-den and Gichuji," which celebrates the museum's 30th anniversary.

The event runs until April 11.

Measuring about 38 centimeters high, the well-preserved, colorfully illustrated picture scroll is kept at Gichuji temple in the city's Banba district as a treasure usually closed from public viewing. The Buddhist temple is home to the grave of the poet from the Edo Period (1603-1867).

Designated as a cultural property by the city government, the scroll depicts 33 scenes, starting with when Basho, who hailed from Iga Province (present-day Mie Prefecture), finds a job as a servant when he was in his teens. It also features detailed illustrations of the Shirakawa barrier in Fukushima Prefecture, the Matsushima islands in Miyagi Prefecture and other places the haiku poet visited for his travel diary, "Oku no Hosomichi" (The Narrow Road to the Interior).

The scroll goes on to realistically depict places Basho visited during his last years, including Kyoto's Shijo-Kawara area where people are seen enjoying the cool of a summer evening and the Ukimido hall located by the shore of Lake Biwako in Otsu, before ending with his grave at Gichuji.

In 1994, some illustrations from the scroll were shown to the public to commemorate the 300th year of Basho's death.

Literary priest Chomu (1732-1796), who dedicated his life to honor Basho's work, spent 11 years to complete the scroll on the 99th death anniversary of the great poet in 1792.

Chomu himself wrote Basho's life episodes, incorporating his famous haiku poems, such as "Furuike ya/ Kawazu tobikomu/ Mizu no oto" (An old pond/ a frog jumps in/ the splash of water), and travel memoirs. The illustrations were created by artists of the Kano school.

"Our modern image of Basho as a wandering poet was created by this picture scroll," museum curator Kenichiro Yokoya said. "We hope visitors also learn about Chomu's achievements through the 40-meter-long scroll."

On display at the exhibition are 160 pieces of artwork and other materials, including a ceiling painting of Gichuji by Edo Period painter Ito Jakuchu.

The venue is closed on Mondays.

Admission is 330 yen ($3) for adults, 240 yen for senior high school and college students and 160 yen for elementary and junior high school students.

For more information, visit the official website at (https://www.rekihaku.otsu.shiga.jp/).

Related News