Art exhibition in Kyoto
Forms of Love — The Rediscovered Erotic Scroll Chigo Zoshi at Fukuda Art Museum
An exhibition of Japanese art highlighting the erotic illustrated scroll Chigo Zoshi. Visitors under 18 are not permitted. Some works will change between the first and second exhibition periods.
- Dates
- Sep 19 (Sat) – Jan 17 (Sun)
- Hours
- 10:00 – 17:00
- Venue
- Fukuda Art Museum
- Nearest station
- Arashiyama
- Admission
- Adults and university students ¥1,500; high school students ¥900
About this event
Centered on the presentation of the long-lost erotic illustrated scroll Chigo Zoshi, this exhibition explores expressions of love in Japanese art. The scroll is introduced as the exhibition's defining work. Representations of love in art are connected not only to beauty but also to human emotion and the social values of their time. With changes to the works on display between the first and second exhibition periods, visitors can approach the theme from different perspectives. Unlike most art exhibitions, admission is restricted to visitors aged 18 and over. By considering the historical background of the works, the exhibition offers an opportunity to explore a less familiar dimension of Japanese painting.
Highlights
- A presentation of the long-lost erotic illustrated scroll Chigo Zoshi
- An exploration of how Japanese art has depicted love
- The second exhibition period begins on November 18
- Tuesdays and Sundays are designated 'Talking Allowed Days'
- Good for
- For visitors aged 18 and over who are interested in Japanese art history, shunga erotic art, and historical forms of painting.
Good to know before you go
- Visitors under 18 are not permitted to enter.
- Visitors may be asked to present photo identification.
- Every Tuesday and Sunday is a 'Talking Allowed Day,' when conversation is permitted in the exhibition.
- Last admission is at 4:30 PM.
- A combined ticket with the Saga Arashiyama Museum of Arts and Culture is available.
Pochikichi's story cornerWhy Is Shunga Being Reexamined in Art Museums?
The exhibition Forms of Love at Fukuda Art Museum features Chigo Zoshi, an example of shunga, or Japanese erotic art. Shunga offers a way to consider how artists have represented human emotions and desires throughout history.
Looking only at landscapes, birds and flowers, or religious paintings reveals just one part of Japanese artistic history. Relationships between people and expressions of intimacy have also been subjects of painting. The exhibition's title invites visitors to reconsider these representations through the concept of love.
One distinctive feature of this exhibition is its age restriction. Visitors under 18 cannot enter, and those attending may be required to show photographic identification.
Paintings can also serve as records of the values and attitudes of their time. When viewing Chigo Zoshi, look beyond the scenes depicted and consider what it means to present such a work in an art museum today.
Sources: Fukuda Art Museum — Official Exhibition Information (Japanese)
Long ago, around hereWhat Did People Come to Saga-Arashiyama to Enjoy in Earlier Times?
Saga-Arashiyama has been cherished by aristocrats and cultural figures since ancient times. Beyond its beautiful scenery, the area has deep connections with literary traditions such as waka poetry.
Local tradition associates this area with the creation of the Hyakunin Isshu poetry collection, whose history is now introduced at the Saga Arashiyama Museum of Arts and Culture. Fukuda Art Museum and the Saga Arashiyama Museum of Arts and Culture stand close to one another, continuing the neighborhood's role as a place where visitors can encounter art and literature.
When walking through Saga-Arashiyama, admire the mountains and river, but also look for the cultural history of a landscape that has inspired poets, artists, and other creative minds for generations.
Sources: Kyoto Tourism Federation — Saga Arashiyama Museum of Arts and Culture (Japanese), Fukuda Art Museum — Official Website (Japanese)
FAQ
- What is Forms of Love — The Rediscovered Erotic Scroll Chigo Zoshi at Fukuda Art Museum?
- Centered on the presentation of the long-lost erotic illustrated scroll Chigo Zoshi, this exhibition explores expressions of love in Japanese art. The scroll is introduced as the exhibition's defining work. Representations of love in art are connected not only to beauty but also to human emotion and the social values of their time. With changes to the works on display between the first and second exhibition periods, visitors can approach the theme from different perspectives. Unlike most art exhibitions, admission is restricted to visitors aged 18 and over. By considering the historical background of the works, the exhibition offers an opportunity to explore a less familiar dimension of Japanese painting.
- When is Forms of Love — The Rediscovered Erotic Scroll Chigo Zoshi at Fukuda Art Museum?
- From Sep 19 (Sat) to Jan 17 (Sun), 2027.
- What are the opening hours?
- 10:00 – 17:00
- How much does it cost?
- Adults and university students ¥1,500; high school students ¥900
- Where is it and what is the nearest station?
- Fukuda Art Museum. The nearest station is Arashiyama.
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