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August 15, 2023

Our information

Are you familiar with Takehisa Yumeji?

In Japan, many companies, especially manufacturing companies, take a summer break around the Obon festival, a Buddhist event that honors ancestral spirits.
Typical Obon events in Kyoto include the “Daimonji Gozan Okuribi” (Daimonji Bonfire).

Gozanokuribi_Daimonji
Gozan-no-okuribi Daimonji 
By J_o – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php

On one of these summer days, I visited the Fukuda Art Museum1 in Arashiyama, a popular tourist spot recognized outside of Japan, to see an exhibition of Takehisa Yumeji’s works. “Takehisa Yumeji – The painter is also a poet and a designer.”

Exterior view of Fukuda Art Museum
Exterior view of Fukuda Art Museum
All About Takehisa Yumeji Exhibition Signboard
All About Takehisa Yumeji Exhibition Signboard

Takehisa Yumeji2 was a renowned painter in Japan during the early 1900s. He was also a graphic designer and a writer of poetry and other literature. He is best known for his numerous portraits of beautiful women, and his poetic style, often referred to as “Yumeji-style beauties,” remains popular today.

All About Takehisa Yumeji Exhibition
“Yumeji-style beauties,”
All About Takehisa Yumeji Exhibition

Moreover, Yumeji fully showcased his graphic and fashion designer talents, earning high praise for his book covers, illustrations, and advertising art. He enjoyed unwavering popularity among the masses.

All About Takehisa Yumeji Exhibition
Original drawing of Yumeji’s binding design

There’s a deep connection between Takehisa Yumeji and Kogei Art KYOTO, operated by Karafuneya. The founder of Karafuneya, Horio Kohtaro, had a close relationship with Yumeji, who once lived in Kyoto. The name “Karafuneya,” often appearing in Yumeji’s paintings, was adopted as the company name. It is also speculated that Yumeji designed the Karafuneya logo. While visiting the Fukuda Art Museum, I spotted a postcard with “Karafuneya” written on it.

All About Takehisa Yumeji Exhibition
postcard
All About Takehisa Yumeji Exhibition
Karafuneya letters
Karafuneya's logo
Karafuneya rogo

The Fukuda Art Museum’s ongoing collection exhibition, “Takehisa Yumeji—The Painter Is Also a Poet and a Designer,“3 will be on display until October 9, 2023.

References
  1. Fukuda Art Museum – Website ↩︎
  2. Takehisa Yumeji – Wikipedia ↩︎
  3. “Takehisa Yumeji—The Painter Is Also a Poet and a Designer,” – Fukuda Art Museum Website ↩︎

Are you familiar with Takehisa Yumeji?
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