Here is my second piece in the series "Journey Home," a collection of watercolor paintings depicting life, culture and tradition of my hometown Kyoto, Japan.  Like my painting I posted yesterday, the scene in this painting is in the neighborhood called Fushimi where my family lives.  The buildings on both sides of this street are famous sake  breweries.

Fushimi used to be a lonely village before Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the most powerful lords who unified Japan, built Fushimi Castle (1594) on top of a hill not far from here.  Fushimi quickly became a busy castle town and a water transportation hub for trade and distribution connecting Lake Biwa and Osaka, a major merchant city by the sea.

The water of Fushimi has been an important commodity here.  Abundant spring water with incredible softness was found to be perfect for brewing first-class sake.  Sake from Fushimi is often called onnazake (feminine sake) because of its characteristics.



  Breweries in Fushimi, Kyoto, Japan


Journey Home II

Click here for a larger image of this painting.

Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 16 x 20 in.
Purchase: Private Collection