The tradition of bijin-ga (paintings of beautiful women) originated in the Edo period. In the modern era, it was brought to artistic maturity by a female painter, Uemura Shōen (1875–1949). This year marks the 150th anniversary of her birth—a significant milestone. To commemorate this occasion, the Fukuda Art Museum is presenting an exhibition that features not only works by Shōen from its collection, but also paintings by her contemporaries and later artists who continued to explore the bijin-ga genre. Through this exhibition, we invite visitors to discover the refined beauty and historical trajectory of this elegant artistic tradition.

Had the emperor lived, 2026 would have marked the 100th year of his reign. This inspired the museum to select 100 works painted during the Showa era’s 64 years. The paintings on show richly document the winds of change breathed by the era’s artists. These 100 works express the foundations of Japan today. Here in Arashiyama, you can feel the breeze blowing from that special era as you wonder at the nostalgia evoked by Showa enthusiasm and artistic passion.