Every August, Zenshoan temple in Tokyo opens the doors to its Yurei-ga Gallery, a private collection of Edo-period ghost scrolls. The 50 silk paintings, most of which date back 150 to 200 years, depict a variety of apparitions from the forlorn to the ghastly.
The scrolls were collected by Sanyu-tei Encho, a famous storyteller (rakugo artist) during the Edo era who studied at Zenshoan. Encho is said to have collected the scrolls as a source of inspiration for the ghostly tales he loved to tell in summer.
Telling ghost stories has long been a popular summer pastime in Japan, and many people believe that chilling tales have the power to take the edge off the dreadful heat. Stories of shadowy souls also make a nice, macabre complement to all the August rituals (bon festivals, memorial ceremonies, grave cleaning, etc.) performed to welcome the spirits of departed ancestors as they return en masse to the earthly world.
The ghost scrolls are on display from August 1 to 31, from 10 AM to 5 PM. Zenshoan temple is located a five-minute walk from Sendagi station (in Taito ward) on the Chiyoda subway line. The entrance fee is 300 yen.
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"Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draws it. Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Joy follows a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves." - The Buddha
Hi, you've come to my blog for some reason. I am a web-designer, i sing in a band, and i am also a linguist. I like music, art and travelling, and I want to have a giant african snail. If you want to say something to me, go ahead.
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12 Users Responded To " Japanese summer ghost collection "
B. Durant (1 comments) said,
7-28-2007 at 18:16:50I came across your blog looking at a thread on Blog Catalog a few moments ago. This is one of my favorite blogs (really and officially) as of now. You’ve done a great job, wow!
omega (72 comments) said,
7-28-2007 at 18:20:19Thanks a lot, i really appreciate it! :)
xhacker (1 comments) said,
7-29-2007 at 10:18:51hi you have done a great job in design i like your blog i think your blog only needs traffic to be extra cool your designs are professional
Bob (25 comments) said,
7-31-2007 at 03:51:08Where do I find those japanese ghosts, and what are they, paintings?, they are beautiful!, Im glad I found your site
omega (72 comments) said,
7-31-2007 at 17:20:53hi Bob, thanks for your comment! I updated the info about the gallery, now you can check out my update. I wish i could go see these paintings as well, maybe next year …
fschalk (1 comments) said,
8-13-2007 at 23:53:52Hi I was looking for Japanese ghost artwork from medieval Japan era..came here..Nice design work. I am a musician myself. Here is my (old) music website as well:
http://www.shnerp.com/shadowgov
pro portfolio:
http://www.frankschalk.com
and my YouTube vids:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=fschalk
why? why not..
Frank
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Georgia » Blog Archive » Japanese summer ghost collection mention,
8-3-2007 at 06:22:25[...] Every August, Zenshoan temple in Tokyo opens the doors to its Yurei-ga Gallery, a private collection of Edo-period ghost scrolls. The 50 silk paintings, most of which date back 150 to 200 years, depict a variety of apparitions from the forlorn to the… …more [...]
Georgia » Blog Archive » Chinese Seafood mention,
8-3-2007 at 10:21:34[...] Every August, Zenshoan temple in Tokyo opens the doors to its Yurei-ga Gallery, a private collection of Edo-period ghost scrolls. The 50 silk paintings, most of which date back 150 to 200 years, depict a variety of apparitions from the forlorn to the… …more [...]
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8-4-2007 at 09:57:56[...] Every August, Zenshoan temple in Tokyo opens the doors to its Yurei-ga Gallery, a private collection of Edo-period ghost scrolls. The 50 silk paintings, most of which date back 150 to 200 years, depict a variety of apparitions from the forlorn to the… …more [...]
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8-9-2007 at 10:34:36[...] Every August, Zenshoan temple in Tokyo opens the doors to its Yurei-ga Gallery, a private collection of Edo-period ghost scrolls. The 50 silk paintings, most of which date back 150 to 200 years, depict a variety of apparitions from the forlorn to the… …more [...]
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8-9-2007 at 10:35:30[...] Every August, Zenshoan temple in Tokyo opens the doors to its Yurei-ga Gallery, a private collection of Edo-period ghost scrolls. The 50 silk paintings, most of which date back 150 to 200 years, depict a variety of apparitions from the forlorn to the… …more [...]
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8-9-2007 at 17:47:20[...] Every August, Zenshoan temple in Tokyo opens the doors to its Yurei-ga Gallery, a private collection of Edo-period ghost scrolls. The 50 silk paintings, most of which date back 150 to 200 years, depict a variety of apparitions from the forlorn to the… …more [...]