Fushimi is a district in the south of Kyoto and is probably best known to many as a major sake brewing region in Japan.  History of this picturesque region is long as it was read in a poem in Man'yoshu (The Ten Thousand Leaves), the oldest collection of Japanese poetry dating back to the 8th century.  Fushimi is also a special place for me because my family lives there.

Although the area has seen inevitable changes that come with rapid population growth and suburban development, it is not hard to find here and there old landscapes and streets, as in this painting, that haven't changed much for centuries.

I made this painting back in 2005 because something about the scene pulled me strongly into it.  Still hard to explain the feeling, but the emotion I felt instantly connected me to my past, my childhood growing up in Japan.  Maybe because of this reason, I didn't even bother to show it to anybody for some time after painting it.  But I am glad to do it as this painting opened up a part of me that wants to explore deeper into my heritage.



   A backstreet in Fushimi district, Kyoto, Japan.  Ryoma-dori has been an important street for shopping and social gathering for nearby residents for more than 400 years (photo taken a few days ago).


Journey Home I

Click here for a larger image of this painting.

Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 14 x 21 in.
Purchase: Private Collection