On April 10, a private viewing of "Kyoto National Museum 120th Anniversary Commemorative Special Exhibition Kaiho Yusho," which is being held from April 11 to May 21, took place at Kyoto National Museum in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City. The exhibition, which is named to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the museum's opening, conveys the painter's life, who came from a samurai household and was actively involved in the Momoyama Period, through various works and historical documents.

Kaiho Yusho, 1533-1615, was from a samurai family in Omi Province and the first half of his life remains largely unknown. After studying under the Kano School, he carved out his own painting style and from his sixties, was engaged in offering his works to temples like Kenninji Temple, court nobles and Hideyoshi Toyotomi.

In the exhibition, a total of 76 works are displayed, starting with 17 paintings designated as Important Cultural Properties, including the powerful "Unryu-zu," or depiction of dragons in clouds, and the gorgeous "Kaki-zu Byobu," or folding screens with flowers. In addition, "Gekka Keiryu-zu Byobu," or folding screens depicting a mountain stream under the moon, that celebrates its silence, is being shown domestically for the first time in 60 years. Newly discovered historical materials such as "Byobu Garyo Uketori-jo," or a receipt of a commission to paint folding screen pictures, in Yusho's own handwriting, are also introduced.

His specialty, the eerie "Unryu-zu," stands out thanks to ingenious lighting in the hall. The museum is closed on Mondays. Exhibited items will be changed. There is an admission fee.