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Tono Kosei

とうの こうせい

Tono Kosei

Pen Names: Tono Kosei（Pen name used by Yamamoto Taro for his work as a sumi-e painter and novelist）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1946-05-21 （Kushimoto, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
sumi-e painter, novelist, visiting art professor
Active Years
1970-
Affiliations
Florida State University (visiting professor)

Awards

Arts Encouragement Prize (MEXT Newcomer)
2000
Work: Portrait
Organization: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Pale Yellow Hat

1984 novel

A long novel introduced to the literary magazine 'Bungei' through a friend's introduction; combines character study and landscape description.

character studymemorynature

Nehan: The World of Tono Kosei's Temple Sumi-e

1994 art book

An art book focusing on temple-held sumi-e works, dealing with religious themes such as Nirvana paintings.

Buddhist iconographytemple artsumi-e techniques

Portrait

2000 novel

A long novel delicately depicting the interior and exterior of its characters. This work won the Arts Encouragement Prize (MEXT Newcomer).

portraitureidentitytime and memory

Fudaraku Phantoms

2004 fiction

A fantastical novel themed on Fudaraku, a concept from Buddhist tradition.

Buddhismfantasysea and legend

Four Seasons Mandala: New Fusuma Paintings for Ninna-ji (Takamatsunomiya Memorial Shoin)

2008 catalogue / art book

A collection centered on new fusuma (sliding door) paintings for Ninna-ji, expressing the four seasons in a mandala-like format.

seasonsmandalafusuma paintings

Bibliography

  • Asagi no Boushi (Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 1984)
  • Nehan: The World of Tono Kosei's Temple Sumi-e (Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 1994)
  • Nigaoe (Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 2000)
  • Fudaraku Phantoms (Sakuhinsha, 2004)
  • Four Seasons Mandala: New Fusuma Paintings for Ninna-ji (Mainichi Shimbunsha, 2008)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
painterly prose incorporating visual imageryquiet, meditative narration
Recurring Motifs
Buddhist imagerytemples and Buddhist statuessea and natureportraits

Legacy

He combined careers as a sumi-e painter and novelist, known for large temple works and fusuma paintings. He served as a visiting professor at Florida State University and received the Arts Encouragement Prize (MEXT Newcomer) in 2000, earning recognition domestically and abroad.

Museums

  • Zenryuji (collection) Kawasaki (collection)
  • Henjo-koin (Koyasan) (collection) Koyasan (collection)
  • Zenkoji (collection) Nagano (collection)

Trivia

  • Real name is Yamamoto Taro.
  • Served as a visiting sumi-e professor at Florida State University starting in 1984.
  • Won the Arts Encouragement Prize (MEXT Newcomer) in 2000 for the novel 'Portrait'.