Creative Partnership

Combining Marriage with the Sacred Arts of Buddhism

Husband-Wife Join Forces to Create Religious Icons and Paintings
Asaba Buddhist Art Studio あさば仏教美術工房, located in Osaka’s Asahi ward, is a magical place with magical people. During a recent visit, I met the husband-wife team of Mukoyoshi Yūboku 向吉悠睦 and Nakamura Keiboku 中村佳睦, two of Japan’s most lauded contemporary artists of Buddhist statues, paintings, and crafts. Mukoyoshi specializes in Buddhist sculpture while Nakamura specializes in butsuga 仏画 (iconic Buddhist paintings) and kirikane kōgei 截金工芸作品 (crafts using cut gold leaf). Mukoyoshi says: “We actually started out in opposite fields. She began as a sculptor. I began as a painter. But today she is the painter and I the sculptor.” They are extremely amiable people and their love of religious art is palpable. Half of their work involves the restoration of icons and paintings for renowned temples and other patrons, while the other half comes from new commissions. Both are acclaimed artisans at the height of their professions. The intricate gold-leaf patterns on Mukoyoshi’s statues (see slideshow below) are the handiwork of Nakamura and her team of assistants. Nakamura is likewise a virtuoso artisan of highly decorative and meticulously designed boxes and sutra containers. She has coauthored a number of books, including one with her husband entitled An Affectionate Introduction to Buddhist Statues やさしくわかる仏像入門.

Art from Mukoyoshi Yūboku 向吉悠睦 & Nakamura Keiboku 中村佳睦, two of Japan’s lauded contempoary artists of Buddhist statues, paintings, & crafts.

OTHER NEWS – New Products at Buddhist-Artwork.com

We are working hard to source new “inexpensive” products at Buddhist-Artwork.com. The strong yen and weak dollar are impacting sales and a “global” price increase (in US$ terms) is imminent for our online Buddhist statues. To ride out the store, we are trying to source “all new” products — all selling at $100 or less. For example, the below Ebisu & Daikoku set and the Praying Hands Kannon will soon be made available (once online pricing is firmly established).

Charming miniature set of Ebisu and Daikoku

1000 Armed Kannon (Senju Kannon), Praying Hands Amulet with Sanskrit Seed

May favorable winds fill your sails

mark in kamakura, japan