Buddhist sculptures and painting, Kayu Matsuhisa / 松久佳遊 祈りの世界－仏画と仏像

Buddhist sculptures and painting, Kayu Matsuhisa / 松久佳遊 祈りの世界－仏画と仏像 Japanese Buddhist sculptor and painter. I create with a free imagination and my own style.

At the end of June, there is an annual festival held every year.Nestled in the nature of Shiretoko, a World Natural Heri...
27/06/2026

At the end of June, there is an annual festival held every year.

Nestled in the nature of Shiretoko, a World Natural Heritage site, stands this charming log-house Bishamon Hall. After it was built here in the village of Chipputomari in Shiretoko, other charming halls followed—Shiretoko Taishidō and Shiretoko Kannon Hall—and together they are known as the Three Halls of Shiretoko.

A truly diverse array of people come to this festival.

You could call it a mysterious gathering that transcends sects and beliefs.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of this festival, and ever since we were connected through Sainen-ji Temple in Shari Town, I’ve had the opportunity to participate as a Buddhist sculptor about five times—though not every year.

This was the third time for Maya (my sister, a kirikane artist) and me to attend.

We were blessed with fine weather, and as many visitors came from across Hokkaido and beyond, we had the chance to listen to a dedication performance by Mr. Sojiro on the ocarina.

The sound of the ocarina, mixed with the rustling of the wind through the trees, was wonderfully stirring to the senses.

It was truly fantastic.

It was a time where I fully enjoyed the pleasure of immersing myself in the natural environment that we so often take for granted.

#松久佳遊 #仏像

I am currently working on the reconstruction of a Gigaku mask of Karura (Garuda).The aim is to recreate one of the oldes...
31/05/2026

I am currently working on the reconstruction of a Gigaku mask of Karura (Garuda).

The aim is to recreate one of the oldest surviving Gigaku masks from the Asuka period, as faithfully as possible.

Since it is a mask, the work involves making only the head of a life-sized figure.

At first glance, it may not seem like a particularly difficult subject—but in reality…

Once you try to follow the original process as closely as possible, the challenge quickly becomes much greater.

This is where the true skill of a bussho (Buddhist sculptor) comes into play.

The wood is carefully selected to match the original grain, and the carving begins using a resin model created from collected data as the base form.

Missing parts are reconstructed by referencing other surviving examples, while also imagining the intentions of the original maker.

Naturally, even the adhesives are recreated using traditional materials—such as lacquer mixed with fillers—and the pigments are chosen and tested to match those used at the time.

Surprisingly, many of these materials are still available today, and some are even still in use.
Perhaps that suggests little has changed—but more accurately, it means the techniques were already highly perfected.

Although modern times offer a wider range of materials, traditional ones often prove to be remarkably effective.

It is certainly a labor-intensive process, but what I have gained is a deeper connection to the sharp sensitivity and solid craftsmanship of artisans from 1,400 years ago.

#松久佳遊 #仏像

It’s the season when the fresh green maple leaves look especially beautiful.Kōzan-ji Temple in Toganoo.I had wanted to v...
15/04/2026

It’s the season when the fresh green maple leaves look especially beautiful.

Kōzan-ji Temple in Toganoo.

I had wanted to visit for quite some time.

It’s only about a 30-minute drive from where I live—not far at all.

Yet somehow it had always felt much farther away, and when I finally came, I thought, “Oh, it’s actually quite close.”

However, the powerful typhoon last September caused considerable damage to the approach path and the surrounding trees, and repairs are still underway.

Only Sekisui-in, accessed from the rear approach, was open to visitors, and the rest of the temple grounds could not be visited.

What a pity!

Recently, the Kōsetsu Museum of Art in Osaka held a special exhibition on Kōzan-ji and the monk Myōe Shōnin, and it was truly fascinating.

I found Myōe Shōnin to be an especially intriguing figure, and that exhibition became the inspiration for my visit to Toganoo.

Even though only this part was open, Sekisui-in itself is a National Treasure.

This serene building welcomes visitors with a statue of Sudhana (Zenzai Dōji), and from the veranda the fresh green maple leaves appear vivid and full of life.

For now, I will have to wait until everything is restored—but that simply means I’ll have another reason to return someday.

*This post was originally written in June 2019.

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I am painting a Myōō (Wisdom King).At his feet are demons being trampled—two of them, one under each foot. Are they two ...
15/03/2026

I am painting a Myōō (Wisdom King).

At his feet are demons being trampled—two of them, one under each foot. Are they two figures? Or two creatures?

Since they are jaki (evil spirits), they are depicted as clearly wicked in appearance.

There is quite a bit of variation among them. They tend to share a stocky, somewhat squat physique, but otherwise they differ—some have horns like demons, some have fewer fingers, and their hair may be wild and disheveled, sometimes twisted, sometimes not.

Although they are being trampled and wear expressions of agony, their faces often have a curious touch of humor.

When we portray villains as grotesque figures, it is not merely about depicting an external enemy.

Perhaps these jaki represent the evil impulses that lie hidden within every person, given form as demons.

Both the Wisdom King who tramples and the demon who is trampled exist within the human heart, and this balance has long been expressed like a mirror in such images.

They seem to be telling us that unless we keep them firmly underfoot, they will quickly gather strength and lead us toward no good.

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第63回 仏教美術展 11月6日～8日 京都文化博物館 開催予定のお知らせ今年もお花とのインスタレーションでの展示となります。お気軽にお越しくださいませ。＜ 第63回 仏教美術展 ＞日　時：2026年11月6日（金）～8日（日） 午前10時...
10/03/2026

第63回 仏教美術展 11月6日～8日 京都文化博物館 開催予定のお知らせ

今年もお花とのインスタレーションでの展示となります。
お気軽にお越しくださいませ。

＜ 第63回 仏教美術展 ＞
日　時：2026年11月6日（金）～8日（日） 午前10時～午後5時
場　所：京都文化博物館（京都市中京区三条高倉）
ＴＥＬ：075-222-0888
入場料：無料

I finally had the chance to visit the Central Golden Hall (Chū-kondō) of Kōfuku-ji in Nara, albeit a bit late.It is said...
10/03/2026

I finally had the chance to visit the Central Golden Hall (Chū-kondō) of Kōfuku-ji in Nara, albeit a bit late.

It is said to have been destroyed by fire many times in the distant past, and at last has been reconstructed in the form it originally had at the time of its founding.

A grand hall now stands proudly, surrounded by foundation stones for the cloisters that are planned to be built in the future.

It is thanks to the tremendous efforts of those involved in this challenging project—an undertaking to reclaim what was once lost.

“So this is how it must have looked,” I found myself thinking.

Looking southward from the hall, as if gazing down, you can take in a sweeping view of the surrounding Eastern Golden Hall, the five-story pagoda, and all the way to the Southern Round Hall.

Even as a lay observer, I can’t help but imagine how magnificent it will be once the cloisters are completed from this central hall, and the South Gate and Western Golden Hall are reconstructed.

Standing alongside National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, it won’t be so long before this rebuilt hall continues its own history, and the sense of newness fades seamlessly into the old.

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It’s not my own work, though.I suppose the rough carving is still underway.That said, it seems the work on the added cel...
19/01/2026

It’s not my own work, though.

I suppose the rough carving is still underway.

That said, it seems the work on the added celestial scarves (tenne) is also progressing alongside it.

Even when there is an original model, once it’s enlarged to this scale, new points for improvement only become apparent at that stage, and adjustments have to be made as the work goes on. Watching him contend with the sheer physical demands—the size, the weight—it really does look like a tough challenge.

The person doing the work (my son) goes about it with a calm, unruffled expression, which makes me think, “Well, he really is a boy after all.”

In a few more months, it should be finished.

I enjoy watching it move forward steadily, even if only a little each day.

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“Shōgoin Monzeki”A new era has begun, transitioning from Heisei to Reiwa.It became a topic of great interest that His Ma...
11/01/2026

“Shōgoin Monzeki”

A new era has begun, transitioning from Heisei to Reiwa.

It became a topic of great interest that His Majesty, following Emperor Kōkaku, was the first in two hundred years to assume the title of Jōkō (Retired Emperor).

At Shōgoin Temple, which is closely associated with Emperor Kōkaku, a special public exhibition was held, showcasing magnificent treasures such as the imperial palanquin and personal Buddhist images—items rarely seen by the public.

Through a family connection with my grandfather, I had the honor of being personally guided around the temple by the present Monzeki (head priest) and his wife, who were both warm and gracious hosts.

Their explanations, interwoven with delightful stories, made the experience all the more pleasant.

By fortunate timing, a goma fire ritual was also being performed, allowing me to witness the powerful spirit of Shugendō (mountain ascetic practices) blended with the refined culture of the imperial court—an experience rich and profound.

The numerous fusuma-e (sliding door paintings) of the Kanō school were another highlight; my eyes wandered from one masterpiece to another, while the detailed explanations about the garden, the architecture, and every aspect of the temple deepened my appreciation for its beauty.

As a Monzeki temple, its crest bears the chrysanthemum emblem of the imperial family—but what left the deepest impression was its rare variant: a chrysanthemum with a horagai (conch shell of Shugendō) depicted at its center.

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Buddhist sculptures and painting, Kayu Matsuhisa / 松久佳遊 祈りの世界－仏画と仏像がニュースとプロモを投稿した時に最初に知って当社にメールを送信する最初の人になりましょう。あなたのメールアドレスはその他の目的には使用されず、いつでもサブスクリプションを解除することができます。

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