Paper short abstract:

This paper reveals how the Rakuchu rakugai-zu envisioned Kyoto after Edo period by identifying the material sources which Rakuchu-rakugai zu incorporated. Being associated with ancient meisho, Kyoto could continue to be an eternal capital and differentiate itself from the new capital, Edo.

Paper long abstract:

The Rakuchu rakugai-zu, literally meaning the paintings of central Kyoto and greater Kyoto, is one of the most popular genre paintings in the sixteenth and seventeenth century, vividly visualizing the capital, Kyoto. The Rakuchu rakugai-zu in general depicts a variety of famous sites of Kyoto such as the imperial palace and famous temples in conjunction with the seasons. It should be noted however that it was not until the sixteenth century that the 'capital' was painted as a subject-matter, and the emergence of such paintings visualizing the cityscape of Kyoto symbolized the recovery from the turmoil of the civil war. Therefore, it is important to consider what sorts of material sources Rakuchu rakugai-zu at an early stage counted on in order to construct a desirable cityscape for those who commissioned the paintings.

Firstly, I will explore how the capital, Kyoto was described in the texts written by a linked poet that juxtaposed the city's meisho (famous sites) with each direction at the very time when the Rakuchu rakgai-zu emerged at the end of 15th century. What is important is that while the capital started to be recorded both in texts and images, it was deliberately represented as meisho. Secondly, through the comparison with the one of the first large-scale printed maps of Kyoto as well as a guidebook, I argue that some Rakuchu rakugai-zu in the seventeenth century put more importance on the historical side of the city with touristic attractions than on the prosperity as a modern capital unlike Edo. Thirdly, I would like to point out that a Chinese classic book which described a cityscape of Hangzhou, the capital of the Southern Song might have influenced the selection and description of famous sites in Rakuchu rakugai-zu in the seventeenth century. As a result, by rediscovering ancient meisho and projecting themselves with the old Chinese capital with much longer history, Kyoto could continue to be an eternal capital with a long history and differentiate itself from the new 'capital,' Edo as a center of political and economic.