From Saturday, July 1st to Friday, July 14th, 2023, the works of sumi-e artist Yuki Nishimoto will be exhibited for a limited time at Zephyr on the 1st floor of Solaria Plaza.
Hakata Gion Yamakasa is a dedication ritual held at Kushida Shrine in Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City. It is held every year from July 1st to 15th, and this year marks the 782nd time it has been held.
The festival is designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, and in 2016 was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
At the Hakata Gion Yamakasa, 13 portable shrines called "decorative Yamakasa" are created in each of the 13 regions: 3rd, 4th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, and Banzuke (Kushida Shrine).
The portable shrine is decorated with Hakata dolls, one of Fukuoka's traditional crafts, and each year a different theme is decided by Hakata doll makers and local people.
Nishimoto, who is based in Fukuoka, has been exhibiting his work at the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival for the past six years.
The theme of the 15th Yamakasa Solaria this year is "Battle at Shijonawate" / puppeteer: Masahiro Okiayu on the front and "Oukaranman Hanasakajiji" / puppeteer: Shinji Kojima on the back. And this year, Nishimoto will be drawing the front title "Battle at Shijonawate".
What is the "Battle of Shijonawate"?
The Battle of Shijonawate took place in 1348 during the Northern and Southern Courts period, between Nozaki, Sanra County, Kawachi Province (Nozaki, Daito City, Osaka Prefecture) and Kitashijo (Hojo, the same city), between Masayuki Kusunoki, the eldest son of Masashige Kusunoki, who was on the side of the Southern Court, and Takanori Takanao, a vassal of Takauji Ashikaga. The exploits of the Kusunoki family as they challenged the military forces have been featured many times as a theme for the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival since the Edo period.
Nishimoto vividly portrays the vitality and dynamism of all living things through the use of brush strokes and the use of ink shading, bleeding, and shading. This time, Nishimoto will be depicting one of the famous scenes from the Battle of Shijonawate, in which Kusunoki Masayuki challenges his enemy head-on while arrows are being shot like rain. The scene of him facing the enemy head-on alone is one that can be said to be overflowing with vitality.
Why not take part in this traditional Fukuoka festival that has been held for nearly 800 years and feel the energy of the works of "Masayuki Kusunoki" as envisioned by Nishimoto?
Exhibition location
- Exhibition period: Saturday, July 1, 2023 to Friday, July 14, 2023
- Exhibition location: Zephyr, 1st floor, Solaria Plaza (2-2-43 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City)
2023 Hakata Gion Yamakasa Decorative Yamakasa "15th Yamakasa Solaria" Dedication and Display Schedule
- June 27th (Tue) - June 29th (Thu) Decorations
- June 30th (Friday) Final Finish
- July 1st (Saturday) Completion and unveiling
- July 1st (Saturday) to July 14th (Friday) Display of decorated Yamakasa floats
Yuki Nishimoto, Hakata Gion Yamakasa, past exhibition works
2016 Yamakasa Battle of Kawanakajima 
2018 Yamakasa Tomoe Gozen 
2021 Yamakasa Kani Saizō
Yuki Nishimoto Participation Schedule for July-August 2023
- July 1st (Saturday) - July 14th (Friday), 2023 Hakata Gion Yamakasa 15th Yamakasa Solaria Front: Battle Shijonawate
- July 14th (Fri) - July 30th (Sun) 2023 World Aquatics Championships Part of the decorative display
- July 22 (Sat) to July 29 (Sat) 2023 Kinshuki (National High School Judo Championships), Gyokuryuki (National High School Kendo Championships Key Visual)
- Friday, August 4th - Wednesday, August 9th, 2023 YUGEN Gallery Solo Exhibition
