Since opening in October 2019, the Fukuda Art Museum has continued to collect engaging artworks created during the Edo period and up to the present day.

The Fukuda collection is especially pleased to have brought back to Japan Fruits and Vegetables, a long scroll by Itō Jakuchū (1716–1800). This noteworthy work, privately held in Europe for many years, was feared lost. When it came to light two years ago in 2023, we were able to add it to the collection.

After undergoing nearly one year of restoration by the museum, Fruits and Vegetables is ready to take its place alongside Saichufū, a similar Jakuchū scroll which shows insects as well as vegetables. It was painted one year later, in 1790, and has been designated an Important Cultural Property. Subject to rotation, we are presenting around 40 works by Jakuchū. These range from Turnip and Two Roosters, one of his earliest known works, to paintings he made late in life. These include both our showpiece scroll and NN recently acquired works, such as Old Pine Tree and White Crane, which joined the collection in 2025. On show, you can also see excellent works held by the Fukuda Art Museum. These include paintings by Yosa Buson, Maruyama Ōkyo, Nagasawa Rosetsu and other artists who were active in Kyoto at the same time as Jakuchū.

If you are not familiar with Jakuchū’s art, this is your chance to see the work of a major Japanese painter. You can trace how he developed as an artist and see what his contemporaries were doing. If you already admire Jakuchū, how could you not be interested?