Core Kyoto

Rimpa: An Artistic Style Transcending Time

Tawaraya Sotatsu, who emerged from Kyoto's merchant class, was one pioneer of the Rimpa School in the early Edo Period, and Ogata Korin consolidated it in the mid-Edo Period. The school is not hereditary but is propagated by artists, who admire Sotatsu and Korin, and follow their styles. Rimpa is characterized by a notable use of space; abstract, vibrant designs; and creative playfulness. The works of Kyoto-based Nihonga artists continue the Rimpa style 400 years after its inception.