Sakaki Bakuzan: The 100th Anniversary of His Birth and the 150th Anniversary of Mie Prefecture

 

About

Date

April 4 - May 31, 2026

Location

Temporary Exhibition Galleries 1-4

Hours

9:30 a.m. -5:00 p.m.

Closed

Mondays (except May 4), May 7 (Thu.)

Admission fee

Adults: 800 (600) yen
Students: 600 (400) yen
High school students and younger: Free
Prices in parentheses are for groups of more than 20 persons.
Persons with disability, one person accompanying them are admitted free of charge.

Organization

■Organized by
Mie Prefectural Art Museum

■With the support of
Iga City
Iga City School Board

■With the grant of
Mie Prefectural Art Museum Assistance Foundation
 

Exhibition Overview

Sakaki Bakuzan (1926–2010) continues to be beloved by many for his poetic works that seamlessly blend calligraphy, painting and poetry, and for his unpretentious character.

Born in what is now Iga City, Mie Prefecture, Bakuzan became familiar with calligraphy and painting from his boyhood. After the war, he met the calligrapher Tsujimoto Shiyu (1895–1957) in Nara and entered the world of calligraphy. Although he attracted attention by winning numerous awards at open art exhibitions, he later withdrew from the group to which he belonged and devoted himself entirely to his own creative pursuits.

He studied the history of calligraphy in Japan and China, sought guidance from literary figures, philosophers and aestheticians, and even travelled around seeking out ‘roadside calligraphy’ such as signposts and shop signs, thereby honing his own unique skills. He established a style characterised by the fusion of calligraphy, painting and poetry—a trinity of art—featuring works that boldly interpreted single Chinese characters such as ‘earth’, ‘woman’ and ‘tree’, and was hailed as a modern literati.

In 2011, the Mie Prefectural Art Museum received a donation of 108 works in accordance with the artist’s wishes during his lifetime. This exhibition presents these donated works in their entirety.

To mark the 150th anniversary of Mie Prefecture’s establishment, we invite you to enjoy the diverse and vibrant world of Sakaki Mokuzan, born from the nature and scenery of Mie.