Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts

Located in western Kyoto, Myoshin-ji was originally a sub-palace of Emperor Hanazono (1297–1348) before being converted into a Zen Buddhist temple in 1342. During the Sengoku period, under the patronage of powerful warlords, many sub-temples were added to the sprawling grounds and Myoshin-ji became a rich repository of Zen Buddhist art and Momoyama-period paintings, especially works by the celebrated Kano, Hasegawa and Kaiho schools. Juo Sohitsu (1296–1380), the sole disciple of the temple’s founding abbot Kanzan Egen, played a fundamental role in establishing Myoshin-ji’s early foundations. This exhibition commemorates his 650th memorial anniversary by showcasing some of the temple’s most treasured classical Japanese artworks. It also highlights the transmission of Zen philosophy from Kanzan to Juo and onwards to the present day. Don’t miss the exhibition’s cool little interactive AR experience. Using a smartphone, you can watch the majestic dragon from Myoshin-ji’s lecture hall seemingly rise to the museum ceiling.