Cats Depicted in Japanese Art

Cats are one of the most common animals in our daily lives. Believed to have been originally kept as a form of pest control in granaries, they now have a close relationship with people as popular pets. It is believed that cats were imported to Japan from China during the Nara period (710-794) in order to protect Buddhist scriptures from rats and mice.

As the subject of various art forms around the world, cats often take on a symbolic or allegorical meaning. These enable us to trace the intricate ways they have been perceived by humanity. This display features paintings displaying the relationship between cats and the Japanese.

Cats that take human-like forms sometimes display eerie or evil characteristics. Among the works are cats in interesting poses and depicted as auspicious subjects, which were derived from Chinese paintings. Another cat appears in an ukiyo-e painting that suggests a scene from the Tale of Genji that describes the story of the imperial princess Onna Sannomiya from the Chapter of Wakana, Part One.

These paintings represent only part of all art works that depict cats, but they are varied enough to enjoy cats in the world of art.