Main Hall Sliding Door Paintings

Daian-ji Main Hall Wall Paintings: Kano School Masterpieces in Sakai

Hidden within the serene precincts of Daian-ji Temple in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, lies one of Japan's most remarkable collections of early Edo-period sliding-door paintings. The Main Hall Wall Paintings (本堂障壁画, Hondō Shōhekiga) comprise 76 panels of breathtaking fusuma paintings attributed to artists of the Kano school, dating from the first half of the 17th century. Designated as an Important Cultural Property in 1981, these paintings represent the sole surviving example of barrier paintings from the Sakai region — a city that once rivaled Kyoto and Osaka as a center of commerce and culture during the late medieval and early modern periods.

Historical Background of Daian-ji Temple

Daian-ji (布金山大安寺) was founded in 1394 (Ōei 1) by the Zen priest Tokushū Shiin under an imperial decree from Emperor Go-Komatsu. The temple belongs to the Tōfuku-ji branch of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. In its heyday, the temple commanded an impressive precinct spanning two chō square (approximately 220 meters on each side) and maintained six sub-temples.

In 1615, the temple was destroyed during the Summer Siege of Osaka (Osaka Natsu no Jin). During the Keian era (1648–1652), it was relocated and rebuilt at its present site in the Minami-Hatago-chō Higashi district of Sakai. The Main Hall itself is believed to have been reconstructed in 1683 (Tenna 3), reusing a large quantity of building materials from an earlier structure dating to the first half of the 17th century. According to temple tradition, the original structure was the residence of Naya Sukezaemon (also known as Luzon Sukezaemon), one of Sakai's legendary merchant magnates who traded extensively with Southeast Asia.

Why These Paintings Were Designated an Important Cultural Property

The Main Hall Wall Paintings were designated as an Important Cultural Property (Fine Arts and Crafts — Painting) on June 9, 1981. Several factors contributed to this prestigious recognition. First, they constitute the only surviving barrier paintings from the Sakai area, a region that flourished as one of Japan's most prosperous commercial hubs from the late medieval period through the early Edo era. Second, despite having been relocated along with the building itself, the paintings have suffered remarkably little disruption to their original compositional arrangement. Third, the quality of execution is outstanding — the gold-ground polychrome works and the ink paintings alike demonstrate the accomplished brushwork of Kano school artists working at the height of their tradition.

Conservation work carried out from 1996 to 2002 revealed that the paintings, like the building, had been carefully trimmed, spliced, and rearranged to fit the modified floor plan of the relocated hall. Traces of paper joins indicate that the original building had a shoin-style residential layout, lending support to the tradition that it was once a wealthy merchant's mansion.

Highlights: A Room-by-Room Guide to the Paintings

The 76 panels are distributed across four rooms within the Main Hall, each with its own distinct character and subject matter.

Shitsu-chū (Central Room, 18 tatami)

The largest and most lavish room features gold-ground paintings depicting pine and plum trees (Shōbai-zu, 5 panels), cypress trees (Hinoki-zu, 6 panels), wisteria (Fuji-zu, 8 panels), and hollyhock or sunset hibiscus (Ōshokuki-zu, 4 panels). This room contains the celebrated "Pine with Added Branch" (Eda-zoe no Matsu), which was famously featured in prewar national textbooks under the story "The Painter's Dedication" (Eshi no Kushin), illustrating the painstaking care artists devoted to achieving perfection.

Jō-ma (Upper Room, 8 tatami)

In contrast to the splendor of the other rooms, the Upper Room is decorated entirely in ink monochrome. Its 24 panels depict scenes of West Lake (Seiko-zu) in Hangzhou, China — a subject deeply beloved in Zen Buddhist painting traditions. The subdued, meditative quality of these ink landscapes creates a contemplative atmosphere befitting a Zen temple's inner sanctum.

Shimo-ni-no-ma (Lower Second Room, 12 tatami)

This room features a charming composition of monkeys playing among crepe myrtle trees (Sarusuberi Yūen-zu, 14 panels), rendered in gold-ground polychrome. An additional 2 panels of hollyhock (Ōshokuki-zu) complete the decoration.

Shimo-ichi-no-ma (Lower First Room, 6 tatami — Supplementary Designation)

The 13 panels of cranes (Tsuru-zu) on gold ground in this room were given supplementary designation status. Also included are 8 painted cedar door panels (sugito-e) depicting cranes, morning glories, Mount Yoshino, and tigers amid bamboo. A set of 4 white plum blossom panels in the Lower Second Room, identified as mid-Edo-period replacements, is similarly included as a supplementary designation.

The Legend of the "Pine with Added Branch"

One of the most beloved stories connected with these paintings concerns the pine tree depicted in the Central Room. According to tradition, a master painter completed a magnificent pine tree on the fusuma panels, but felt something was lacking. After days of contemplation, he added a single branch that transformed the composition entirely, bringing the tree to life with natural beauty and balance. This tale of artistic dedication was included in prewar Japanese national textbooks under the title "The Painter's Dedication" (画師の苦心, Eshi no Kushin), making the Daian-ji paintings known to generations of Japanese schoolchildren long before their formal cultural property designation.

Visitor Information

Daian-ji Temple is normally closed to the general public, but the interior of the Main Hall — including the wall paintings — can be viewed during special openings held in spring and autumn as part of the Sakai Cultural Property Special Public Viewing program (堺文化財特別公開). These events are typically announced on the Sakai City website and through local tourism channels. Visitors are advised to check the schedule in advance, as dates vary each year.

Within the temple grounds, visitors can also see the "Rainbow Water Basin" (Niji no Chōzubachi), a stone basin said to be favored by the tea master Sen no Rikyū and named by Emperor Meiji for the rainbow-like patterns visible on its surface. The temple also preserves a Luzon jar and the memorial grave of the Muromachi-period poet Botanka Shōhaku.

Surrounding Attractions

Daian-ji is located in the heart of Sakai's historic temple district, close to several other sites of cultural interest. Nanshu-ji Temple, just next door, is a major Rinzai Zen temple associated with Sen no Rikyū and designated as an Important Cultural Property. The Sakai City Traditional Crafts Museum and the Sakai Risho no Mori museum, dedicated to the legacies of Rikyū and modern author Akiko Yosano, are within easy reach. The Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring the massive keyhole-shaped tomb of Emperor Nintoku, lies a short distance to the east. The Hankai Tramway, one of Japan's oldest streetcar lines, provides a charming way to explore the area.