Feel the Spiritual Undercurrents of Japanese Art with an Authentic Nihon-ga Painting Experience

Opulent, Glamorous, and Traditional: The Rimpa Style

Developed by Sotatsu Tawaraya and Koetsu Honami in the early 17th century and later Korin Ogata, Rimpa is a style of nihon-ga painting with a history stretching back four centuries. It was developed to create not only standalone paintings but also finish such craft products as textiles, ceramics, and lacquerware with elegant ornamental patterns using bright pigments and gold leaf. Art exhibitions in Japan and around the world showcasing Rimpa artwork have long captured the hearts and imaginations of art lovers across borders and generations.

Nihon-ga and sumi-e paintings line the walls of the atelier

Beyond mere visual elegance and beauty, Rimpa works also emphasize a sophisticated and distinctly Japanese spiritual, philosophical, and aesthetic sense from start to finish of the creation process. In the present day, there are vanishingly few places where those interested can learn about the methods and philosophy of nihon-ga in general, let alone the Rimpa school in particular.

A work on brilliant pure gold leaf arrests the eye

Tomoko Sase, a nihon-ga artist and representative of the Rimpa Sumie Heritage Club, instructs participants directly in the orthodox traditional techniques of Edo Rimpa painting.

The Rimpa Sumie Heritage Club Preserves the Ways and Works of Classical Rimpa Masters

Situated in a quiet residential neighborhood in Tokyo’s Minami-Aoyama area, the Rimpa Sumie Heritage Club is a gathering place for those passionate about nihon-ga art – from experts to the general public, including visitors from overseas like international students interested in Japanese culture and diplomats from all over the world.

Tomoko Sase carries the traditions of classical Japanese painting into modern times

The club owes much of its heritage to Hoitsu Sakai, a Rimpa painter of the Edo period who created such masterpieces as the Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn folding screens. Sase paints in a style inherited from him through generations of the Sakai family. Beginning with self-taught sumi-e ink painting, Sase went on to study under Hodo Sakai, the sixth generation head of the studio Hoitsu opened, known as Ugean. Sase is not only an accomplished artist, but also a passionate preserver and evangelist of the traditions and techniques of the Rimpa school.

Feel the traditions and techniques of the Rimpa school

The club owes much of its heritage to Hoitsu Sakai, a Rimpa painter of the Edo period who created such masterpieces as the Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn folding screens. Sase paints in a style inherited from him through generations of the Sakai family. Beginning with self-taught sumi-e ink painting, Sase went on to study under Hodo Sakai, the sixth generation head of the studio Hoitsu opened, known as Ugean. Sase is not only an accomplished artist, but also a passionate preserver and evangelist of the traditions and techniques of the Rimpa school.

nihon-ga painting, a style of art that also embodies the spiritual sensibilities of Japan

Though there has been a resurgence in interest in nihon-ga art as of late, there are still not many places to learn about it in earnest compared to watercolor and oil painting, meaning it unfortunately remains esoteric to many. The Rimpa Sumie Heritage Club was founded to push back against these limitations and lower the barriers to entry, creating a place for anyone to come and access the art form. Here, you will work under Sase’s friendly and passionate guidance to create a work of your own.

Feel the Distinctive Values of Japan by Painting Nihon-ga

Before the painting begins, Sase explains: “Nihon-ga, in essence, uses natural materials to recreate the natural order.” Savor the anticipation of working with these rarefied traditions as you learn more about the values and meaning underpinning them. Every tool and material you will work with here is made of those very natural materials, fostering the connection to nature that is so precious to the art.

Every tool is authentic professional grade

In creating your nihon-ga, sketch your work in ink on colored paper stamped with gold or silver leaf before painting in color. The first step is to choose your paper (smaller with gold leaf, or larger with silver), before choosing from a wide variety of motif patterns to draw, such as butterflies, cranes, or Mount Fuji. Your chosen design is then transferred to the color paper, making it easy even for beginners to create beautiful works.

The underlying sketch, referred to as “kotsu-gaki” or “drawing the bones”

After drawing the sketch, dissolve a mixture of gofun (seashell pigment) and nikawa adhesive in water. This is applied as a base color. “Gofun and nikawa have completely opposing properties, but when kneaded together fuse into a unified substance,” explains Sase, “and this process is a microcosm of Japan’s unique aesthetic sense of synthesizing opposites into something greater.”

Gofun – made from seashells – a vital nihon-ga material

When the base color is applied, it’s time to paint in color. Nihon-ga operates from a traditional East Asian color philosophy, working with only five base colors taken from the five elements to create anything. Each of these colors can also be used in yin or yang roles, with the same color changing its role depending on how it is combined with others. Discover a surprising depth in working with a limited palette, and immerse yourself in the meditative focus of painting.

Apply paint gradually to the paper with the tip of your brush

Getting Deeper into Nihon-ga with Authentic Gold & Silver Leaf Stamping (Paid Option)

For an additional fee, participants can even create the gold or silver paper themselves by stamping the leaf onto it. Foil stamping uses its own techniques and tools separate from the painting steps. Enjoy a detailed talk from Sase about the differences between the various tools and their uses to deepen your nihon-ga knowledge and skills.

Sase demonstrates the art of metallic leaf stamping, in which not even she can afford to lose focus for a moment

The stamping begins with the preparation of the washi paper before applying the leaf itself. Watch Sase carefully demonstrate the art, and put everything you have learned into practice. “It is important to communicate with the silver or gold and visualize the fusion you are trying to achieve,” says Sase. Practice a few times before trying it for real.

Slowly peeling off the transfer paper and applying the gold leaf

Metallic leaf stamping requires precision, speed, and courage. There is a stressfulness to it, but that makes it all the more satisfying when you manage to do it without any warping or folds. Creating even your “canvas” yourself before painting is all the more fulfilling and will bond you that much more to your work.

Finish the surface by coating it with dosa, a mixture of nikawa glue and alum, to prevent bleeding

Develop a Deep and Lifelong Understanding of the Distinctive Japanese Spirituality Behind Nihon-ga Painting Techniques

Take your finished work home with you after the experience. It is sure to be a great accent piece to display in any space you want to make special, whether that be the entryway or the bedroom. It’s a perfect memento of your trip – or souvenir to give to a loved one.

A sample finished piece, where each color used has a meaning behind it, rich in distinctively Japanese aesthetic symbolism and sensibilities

Through this experience, you will create your own nihon-ga painting, a style of art that also embodies the spiritual sensibilities of Japan, and learn the authentic techniques behind it. Sase says that this experience is sure to change the way you view these paintings in the future, and “become an asset for the rest of your life.”