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Meigetsuki: The Diary of Fujiwara no Teika and his Calligraphy

  • Image of "Part of a Record of a Poetry Contest between Minamoto no Michitomo and Fujiwara no Shunzei's Daughter (One of the "Poetry Contest Fragments"), By Fujiwara no Teika, Kamakura period, 12th–13th century"

    Part of a Record of a Poetry Contest between Minamoto no Michitomo and Fujiwara no Shunzei's Daughter (One of the "Poetry Contest Fragments"), By Fujiwara no Teika, Kamakura period, 12th–13th century

    Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 3
    June 27, 2023 (Tue) - August 6, 2023 (Sun)

    Fujiwara no Teika (1162–1241), a court noble and poet of the Kamakura period (1192–1333), established an original and influential style of calligraphy that came to be admired by later generations. Meigetsuki (The Record of the Clear Moon) is a diary Teika recorded in throughout his life. In addition to the nearly eighty volumes of his own handwritten manuscripts that are still extant, there are also numerous fragments of his calligraphy. These fragments reveal much about Teika’s views and attitude towards calligraphy.

    This thematic exhibition features some of Teika’s diary records, as well as works related to Teika’s activities as a poet. For both kinds of writings, he used a fascinating style of calligraphy that embodied his personality.

    List of Exhibits

Major works in this exhibition

* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.

Meigetsuki (Diary of Fujiwara no Teika), By Fujiwara no Teika, Kamakura period, 13th century (Important Cultural Property, On exhibit through July 17, 2023)

Meigetsuki (Diary of Fujiwara no Teika), By Fujiwara no Teika, Kamakura period, 13th century (Important Cultural Property, On exhibit from July 19, 2023)

Letter of Entreaty, By Fujiwara no Teika, Kamakura period, 1202 (Important Cultural Property)

Part of Records of the Noriyumi Court Ritual, By Fujiwara no Teika, Kamakura period, 13th century (Gift of Mr. Takaki Seiu)

Calligraphy by Three Nobles of the Nijō Family (One of the “Hino”, “Gosenshū”, and “Shūishū Fragments”), By Fujiwara no Shunzei, and attributed to Fujiwara no Teika and Fujiwara no Tameie, Heian–Kamakura period, 12th–13th century (Gift of Mr. Takaki Seiu)

Part of a Record of a Poetry Contest between Minamoto no Michitomo and Fujiwara no Shunzei's Daughter (One of the "Poetry Contest Fragments"), By Fujiwara no Teika, Kamakura period, 12th–13th century

Poems Composed on a Pilgrimage to Kumano, By Fujiwara no Teika, Kamakura period, 1201 (Important Art Object, Private collection)

Testamentary Record, Written by Fujiwara no Tameie; Signed by Fujiwara no Tameuji, Kamakura period, 1269 (Important Cultural Property)

Exhibitions