A series of “Famous Japanese Illustrated Handscrolls”

Registered as National Treasure, a series of full-scale reproductions

Hell Scroll & Hungry Ghost Scroll
Set of two scrolls

Similar to today, in the last decades of the Heian period (794-1185), social disturbances along with earthquakes, tsunamis and epidemics broke out frequently in Japan. Simultaneously, a Buddhist doctrine known as mappō (a period of lawlessness) spread around among people who sought salvation by becoming devout Buddhist believers.
In Buddhism, the afterlife world of reincarnation is called the Six Realms (Rokudo), out of which Animals, Hungry Ghosts and Hell are regarded as three evil realms and reserved for those fallen by evil deeds. Hell, in particular, has been so frightening as to be often visualized in the picture form as the most painful place to inhabit.
Pictures of the Six Realms were extensively illustrated, but most of them have been scattered and lost now. It is fortunate to introduce “Hell Scroll” and “Hungry Ghost Scroll” that were created during the last years of the Heian period in order to convey the substance of “Pictures of the Six Realms.” Both Scrolls are designated as National Treasure.

Hell Scroll
Dimensions 27.6×707.0 cm
Supervised Kobayashi Tadashi
Commentaries Ueno Tomoe
Hungry Ghost Scroll
Dimensions 28.6×920.0 cm
Supervised Kobayashi Tadashi
Commentaries Ueno Tomoe
Price
Price JPY 250,000 (tax excluded)

    Feature

  1. 1) Commentaries are attached on each title, written respectively by prominent scholars in two languages: Japanese and English, and function as an academic study guide and reference for both domestic and international readers.
  2. 2) The original textures and colors of the work are vividly revived in reproduction by using light-resistant toners on acid-free paper (Bagasse) or Japanese paper (Torinoko). This would never have been possible using conventional printing methods.
  3. 3) The scrolls are digitally printed by the most up-to-date printing technology for high definition images in our on-demand system, so we are always able to provide the newest products to match customers’ needs.
  4. 4) Our long established “Long Sheet Printing” technology is used to create the more than 10-meter-long handscroll on one seamless sheet of paper.

Contact

  1. hayano@e-art.ne.jp