Collection of Japanese and Chinese Poems (cloud Paper)

Wakan Rōeishū (Cloud Paper): A Thousand-Year-Old Calligraphic Masterpiece at the Imperial Palace

Hidden within the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo lies one of Japan's most exquisite literary and artistic treasures — the Wakan Rōeishū (Cloud Paper), or Kumogami-bon Wakan Rōeishū. Designated a National Treasure in 2024, this pair of handscrolls represents a breathtaking convergence of poetry, calligraphy, and paper-craft artistry from the golden age of Heian court culture. For anyone captivated by the refined elegance of classical Japan, this is a work that speaks across a millennium with astonishing clarity and beauty.

What Is the Wakan Rōeishū?

The Wakan Rōeishū (和漢朗詠集), meaning "Collection of Japanese and Chinese Poems for Recitation," is an anthology compiled around 1013 CE by the nobleman and poet Fujiwara no Kintō (966–1041). It gathers 588 excerpts from Chinese poetry and prose alongside 216 Japanese waka poems — 804 verses in total — selected specifically for their beauty when recited aloud. The anthology is organized into two volumes: the first arranged by the four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter), and the second containing miscellaneous themes such as wind, clouds, mountains, temples, friendship, love, and impermanence.

Among the Chinese poets featured, Bai Juyi (Bo Juyi) dominates with 135 entries, reflecting the extraordinary reverence Heian aristocrats held for his work. Japanese poets such as Ki no Tsurayuki and Sugawara no Fumitoki are also well represented. The collection profoundly influenced later Japanese literature, including The Tale of Genji and The Pillow Book, and served for centuries as a model for poetry composition, calligraphy practice, and even childhood literacy education at temple schools.

The Cloud Paper (Kumogami): A Unique Canvas of Beauty

What sets this particular manuscript apart — and gives it its name — is the extraordinary decorative paper upon which it is written. The term "kumogami" (雲紙, cloud paper) refers to paper decorated with flowing patterns of indigo-blue dye that evoke drifting clouds. In this manuscript, the cloud patterns are placed at the lower right and upper left of each sheet in a striking diagonal arrangement, creating a continuous visual rhythm as the scroll unfolds.

This diagonal placement is entirely unique among surviving examples of cloud paper, and the manuscript itself is the oldest complete example of kumogami in existence. The interplay between the deep blue clouds and the black ink of the calligraphy creates a visual experience that is at once serene and captivating — like watching calligraphy float across an indigo sky. Art historians have noted that the cloud placement subtly guides the viewer's eye in a natural Z-shaped reading pattern, a design principle remarkably anticipating modern visual communication techniques.

The Calligraphy: Three Scripts in Perfect Harmony

The text of the Wakan Rōeishū is rendered in ink across both scrolls with masterful control. The calligrapher employed three distinct scripts: kaisho (block script), gyōsho (semi-cursive script), and sōsho (cursive script). The Chinese verse passages are written in a fluid mixture of these three styles, while the Japanese waka poems appear in flowing kana characters. The harmonious interweaving of kanji and kana — of Chinese formality and Japanese lyricism — mirrors the very essence of the anthology itself.

The manuscript was traditionally attributed to Fujiwara no Yukinari (972–1027), one of the celebrated "Three Great Calligraphers" (Sanseki) of the Heian period. However, modern scholarship, based on comparative analysis with authenticated handwriting samples, now attributes the brushwork to Minamoto no Kaneyuki, an accomplished calligrapher active in the mid-11th century. Minamoto no Kaneyuki is also credited with inscribing text at the Phoenix Hall (Hōōdō) of Byōdō-in Temple in Uji — the iconic building depicted on Japan's ten-yen coin.

Why Was It Designated a National Treasure?

The Wakan Rōeishū (Cloud Paper) was designated a National Treasure in 2024 (officially gazetted on August 27, 2024) following an advisory from the Council for Cultural Affairs on March 15, 2024. Several factors contributed to this highest cultural distinction:

• It is a complete manuscript in two scrolls with no missing sections — a rarity among Heian-period literary works that have survived over a thousand years.
• Together with the Decchōbon (Bound Book) version also held at the same museum, it constitutes one of the oldest surviving manuscripts of the Wakan Rōeishū.
• The cloud paper (kumogami) is the oldest complete example of this decorative paper technique in existence, and its distinctive diagonal cloud placement has no known parallel.
• The calligraphy exemplifies the refined aesthetic of Heian-period writing, blending three script styles with extraordinary grace.
• Its exceptional state of preservation — the colors remain remarkably vivid after more than a millennium — testifies to centuries of careful stewardship within the Imperial household.

Notably, the work had long been recognized as a masterpiece of the highest caliber but could not be designated as a cultural property while it was under the direct jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Agency. It was only after the collection was transferred to the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage in October 2023 that it became eligible for designation under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties.

A Bridge Between East Asian Cultures

One of the most compelling aspects of the Wakan Rōeishū is its role as a cultural bridge between China and Japan. The anthology embodies a moment in history when Japanese aristocrats were deeply steeped in Chinese literary tradition while simultaneously nurturing their own poetic voice. By placing Chinese verse and Japanese waka side by side under the same seasonal and thematic headings, Fujiwara no Kintō created something unprecedented: a bilingual, bicultural celebration of poetic beauty.

The collection even played a role in cross-cultural exchange beyond Japan's shores. Historical records indicate that Japanese Buddhist monks traveling to Song Dynasty China carried copies of the Wakan Rōeishū when entering monasteries abroad. Meanwhile, a version of the anthology printed by the Jesuits in 1600 — one of the earliest examples of Japanese literature in European typography — survives in a monastery library near Madrid, Spain.

Where to See It: The Museum of the Imperial Collections

The Wakan Rōeishū (Cloud Paper) is housed at the Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shōzōkan, located within the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace (Kōkyo Higashi Gyoen) in central Tokyo. The museum was established in 1993 to preserve and display art inherited by the Imperial family, and its collection encompasses approximately 9,800 works spanning painting, calligraphy, lacquerware, ceramics, and more.

As of 2025, the museum is temporarily closed for a major expansion project. When it reopens in autumn 2026 with greatly expanded exhibition and storage facilities, it will offer even more opportunities to view masterworks from the Imperial collection, including this National Treasure. Because the scrolls are fragile works on paper, they are displayed only during special exhibitions and are rotated to protect them from light exposure. Visitors planning a trip should check the museum's official website for current exhibition schedules.

Exploring the Surroundings

A visit to the Museum of the Imperial Collections can be combined with a full exploration of the Imperial Palace East Gardens, which are open to the public free of charge. Within the gardens, visitors can see remnants of Edo Castle, including the massive stone walls, the Hundred-Man Guardhouse (Hyakunin Bansho), and the base of the former castle tower (Tenshudai). The gardens themselves feature beautiful seasonal plantings, from plum blossoms in early spring to cherry blossoms, irises, and autumn foliage.

The museum is also within easy reach of some of Tokyo's finest cultural institutions. The Tokyo National Museum in Ueno, the National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo near Takebashi Station, and the Tokyo Station Gallery are all accessible by a short train ride. For those interested in Japanese calligraphy and literary arts, the Calligraphy Museum (Shodo Hakubutsukan) in Taito ward offers an excellent complement to a visit to the Sannomaru Shōzōkan.