Suntory Museum of Art "Sake Drinker Begins"

Sake Douko is the most famous demon in Japan. During the Heian period, the story of a drunkard who was plundering the daughters of nobles and treasures in the capital one after another by the warlord Minamoto Yorimitsu and his servants was established before the 14th century, and eventually became widely popularized as the subject of paintings and Noh. Among them, the Important Cultural Property of the Suntory Museum of Art, "Sake Dendoko Picture Scroll" (hereinafter referred to as "Suntory Book"), written by Hajime Kano, is famous as an ancient example of the Muromachi period, which had a great influence on later generations. In this exhibition, Suntory books that have been dismantled and repaired will be unveiled, and two "beginnings" related to sake drinkers will be introduced.
Speaking of the abode of the Sake Drinker, it is depicted in the story as Mt. Oeyama in Tamba Province or Mt. Ibuki in Omi Province, and the Suntory Book is known as the oldest picture scroll in the Ibuki Mountains. Since then, this Suntory book has become the "beginning of the pattern", and hundreds of copies and similar books were made throughout the Edo period.
Furthermore, in recent years, it has attracted attention that a series of picture scrolls have been discovered that contain almost the same content as Suntory's books, but boldly depict the upbringing of the Sake Drinker, that is, the "Beginning of the Demon."
This exhibition focuses on these "beginnings" and traces the unknown history and diverse development of the Sake Drinking Douko Picture Scroll, while also touching on the relationship between painting and theater (Noh). Please enjoy the story of demon slaying that is still alive in modern manga and anime, and that Japan people have been familiar with since ancient times.

*Sake Douko is also written as Sake Den, Sake Song, Sake Scripture, and Sake Ten. In this exhibition, the title of the work basically respects the notation of the title, and uses the word "sake cup" as a generic name for stories and demons.
* In order to protect the work, the exhibition will be changed during the exhibition period.
*Photography is prohibited in this exhibition.