Special Exhibition "The Bizarre and Monstrous"

About this event

The special exhibition "The Bizarre and Monstrous" at the Otaru Ukiyo-e Museum unravels the mysterious and beautiful world of monstrous forms. Focusing on the diverse depictions of youkai, monstrous figures, and mysterious apparitions passed down in Japanese folklore and paintings since ancient times, the exhibition centers on the complete set of "New Forms of Thirty-Six Ghosts" (Shinkei Sanjuroku Kaisan), a late masterpiece by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, who was active from the end of the Edo period through the Meiji period. Rather than relying on gruesome depictions, Yoshitoshi vividly captured the lingering presence in the darkness and the wavering emotions of the human heart. This exhibition also introduces expressions of the uncanny by his master, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, and senior fellow disciples, allowing visitors to appreciate in one place a collection of works themed around the bizarre and monstrous—ranging from stories confronting beings beyond human understanding to Yoshitoshi's unique world depicting the depths of human passion.

Venue

Otaru Ukiyo-e Museum

5-4 Minatomachi, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0007