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Traditional Folding Screens in Ekingura

Ekingura　　

HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Traditional Folding Screens in Ekingura

Enjoy the eerie atmosphere of the museum that displays mesmerizing masterpieces of Ekin

Monobegawa-DMO

Akaoka is located about 40 kilometers east of the main part of Kochi Prefecture, known as the town where the famous painter Ekin settled. One of the town's prized attractions is Ekingura, an enchanting museum illuminated by candlelight, which houses a remarkable collection of Ekin's haunting screen paintings spanning his career.

Hirose Kinzo, better known as Ekin, was an incredible 19th-century ukiyo-e painter from Kochi. He converted a sake cellar into a studio and pioneered his famed Shibai-e Byōbu, the paintings on traditional folding screens. Twenty-three of his masterpieces remain in Akaoka today, safely stored inside the Ekingura. In order to preserve his artworks, the folding screens on display in this museum are replicas except for two. The intense, vivid reds used in Ekin's paintings resembled the color of blood, which was meant to prevent evil spirits from entering houses. The blood-soaked scenes writhe in the candlelight as though seeking to escape the confines of the canvas. It is an eerie, yet fascinating world, certain to send shivers down your spine.

Every year in July, during the Ekin Festival and the Suruda Hachimangu Jinsai, the real Shibai-e Byōbu are displayed outdoors in front of merchant houses in Akaoka. The Ekin Festival is a lively event with food stalls and various activities, while the Suruda Hachimangu Jinsai is a tranquil festival that allows visitors to appreciate Ekin's works in peace.