On June 3, Reiwa 4 (2022), the opening ceremony for the Special Exhibition 'Sakata Akira's Oku no Hosomichi Woodblock Print Exhibition' was held, and the exhibition is now open.
Scenes from the Opening
Gallery Talk by Mr. Sakata Akira
Basho, who lived and died traveling, believed that all of life was a journey, or like a traveler's path. On May 14, 1689, he embarked on his journey of Oku no Hosomichi, concluding his long journey of approximately 150 days and 2400 kilometers on October 4.
According to haiku poet Kai Hasegawa, Basho's 'Oku no Hosomichi' is not merely a travelogue but a re-imagined literary work blending reality and fiction.
Based on his book, the woodblock print works were structured as follows:
Section 1: Purification for the Journey, Section 2: Pilgrimage to Poetic Places, Section 3: The Sun and Moon, Section 4: Return to the Floating World
June 2022 Sakata Akira