Ogawa Usen

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- KAPPA - 河童 / かっぱ /　カッパ - Persons -
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- Ogawa Usen 小川芋銭 -
(1868-1938)



- quote
Ogawa Usen (1868-1938) was born in Edo with the given name of Taro. He later changed his name to Mokichi and he is also referred to as Soju Usen. He studied Western style painting with Honda Kinkichiro (1885-1921). He became a member of the Japan Fine Art Academy in 1917. He was also one of the eight original members of the Sango-kai, founded in 1915, which fostered a free exchange of ideas between the Western-style and Japanese-style painters in the group.

Usen also created woodcuts and cartoons in magazines and newspapers, working for the Yomiuri shinbun and Heimin shinbun.


A Water Imp is Born of a Fresh Water Mussel

In 1896 he moved near the Ushiku swamp in Ibaraki Prefecture. His most famous works are of the natural phenomena of this area and, in particular, of kappa (water imps). Usen saw kappa as "symbols of freedom in the realm of nature."

There is a commemorative hall on the grounds of Usen's residence called "Ungyotei", which features displays of many of Usen's work and personal effects.



Also on the grounds is the stone monument to Usen's water imps.
- source : www.myjapanesehanga.com


. - Kappa from Ushiku 牛久 in Ibaraki - .

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source : www.garitto.com

yamanba 山姥 -　木版画 - old hag from the mountains - monster

. Yamanba, Yamauba 山姥 and 山姫 Yamahime .
- Introduction -

- haiku for yamanba coming up !



- quote for a painting
People, like Fish, Swimming through Trees (painting)
- source : museum.menard.co.jp

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Shirafuji Genta 白藤源太 a legendary sumo wrestler from Chiba




小川芋銭『河童百図展』 Exhibition - 2008






河童百図 - - 100 pictures of Kappa


カッパのまぼろしながる小狸藻
kappa no maboroshi nagaru kotanukimo

floating by
like a kappa vision -
the Kotanukimo seaweed

小川芋銭 Ogawa Usen




kotanukimo コタヌキモ lit. "little tanuki badger seaweed" is a water plant, Utricularia intermedia


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- - - - - and haiku by fans about his kappa paintings - - - - -


河童絵図藍濃き皿のふぐとかな
kappa ezu ai koki sara no fuguto kana

on the Kappa paintings
a fugu with dark
indigo colors . . .

西島麦南　Nishijima Bakunan (1895-1979)

. - sara　皿 plate with water on the Kappa's head - .


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夏料理壁に芋銭の河童掛け
natsu ryoori kabe ni usen no kappa kake

sommer dishes -
on the wall a scroll
by Usen

Kawamura Shiyoo 川村紫陽 Kawamura Shiyo (1924 - )


- and here is a kakejiku scroll with a Kappa by Usen

鍾馗斬河童之図 Shoki, the Demon Queller and Kappa

The inscription reads
鬼でさえ　敵はぬ鍾馗を　見損こない

This is a koan from Mumonkan 無門関
source :　otsumitsu/e





- detail of the Kappa on top




- detail of Shoki cutting the kappa





. Shooki 鍾馗 Shoki, the Demon Queller .


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竹の主河童百図のちやんちやんこ
take no nushi kappa hyakuzu no chanchanko

lord of the bamboo -
a warm winter west
with one hundred kappa

椎橋清翠 Shiibashi Seisui (Blue Kingfisher)






source : www.samue.co.jp/kanreki


. chanchanko　ちゃんちゃんこ warm winter vest .


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芋銭の河童父の河童と曼珠沙華
金子皆子

芋銭河童に踵のありて彼岸西風
神蔵 器

蓮根に似たる河童図あたたかし
嶋田麻紀

黒南風や河童百図の動き出す
北見さとる

河童の画一枚掛けて昼寝せり
村越化石


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Ogawa Usen gashu


Ogawa Usen no sekai: Kappa wa naze egakareta ka
Mitsuo Suzuki, author


. . . CLICK here for Photos !

- reference -


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. - - - Join my Kappa friends on facebook ! - - - .

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. - Kappa - Haiku and Senryu　河童　俳句　川柳 - .

. Kappa densetsu　河童伝説, Kappa minwa 河童民話 - Legends - Introduction .

. Mingei 民芸　Regional Folk　Art from Japan .


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