The Arrival of Spring

I painted a Japanese landscape that evokes the arrival of spring, featuring a Japanese white-eye perched on cherry blossoms in full, delicate bloom.
To convey the warmth of spring and the hazy atmosphere, I used Kochi hemp paper. For the yellow background, I employed “ura-irozumi”—a traditional Japanese painting technique—by applying yellow water-soluble pigment to the reverse side of the paper, allowing the pale yellow to gently bleed through to the surface. This technique takes advantage of the unique characteristics of Kochi hemp paper, which is thick and lacks a waterproof barrier.

I wanted viewers to feel a closer connection to the traditional techniques of Japanese painting, the allure of washi paper, and Japanese painting itself. So, I captured a fleeting moment of Japanese spring—cherry blossoms that still attract Japanese white-eyes today—within this small space.