The origins of Japanese comic strip that is commonly called “Choju-Giga” a set of four picture scrolls(Emakimono), in the mid -12th century.

Have you seen this very famous Emakimono (Scroll of Frolicking Animals and Humans)? I am sure that this caricature art works you can find everywhere in Japan. Especially mangas and animes, industrial designs, which have frequently collaborated with several art works.

The set of four picture scrolls, which are composed of “Koh-kan”甲巻、“Otsu-kan”乙巻、“Hei-kan”丙巻、”Tei-kan”丁巻、belong to the Kozan-ji Temple in Kyoto.

The scrolls are entrusted to the Kyoto National Museum and Tokyo National Museum nowadays.

“National Treasure, All About Choju-Giga” exhibition took place late spring in 2021 at National Tokyo Museum. So I visited the museum at Ueno Park, Tokyo.

All four volumes of “Frolicking Animals” have been passing on the lively activities of anthropomorphized animals and ordinary people life in 12 – 13 centuries with energetic ink lines to our generation in 21 century.

All scenes flow from right to left, you can find quite a few animals inside this Emakimono, especially volume 1,“Koh”甲巻, most famous one, which covers a wide range of animal characters such as hares, frogs, deer, monkeys, cats, wild boars, horses, bulls, foxes and so on.

Some of them are bathing, playing sumo, praying monkey with monk robe to frog budda, deer ride, catch and run…animals are so cute and funny, fresh, vigorous!

They seem to be about to come out of the screen!

No wonder the works still keep inspiring many modern artists. It is no exaggeration to say that the origin works of Japanese mangas and animes.

There is many poultries, and imaginary animals, which were believed to exist in China until late 15 century, emerge in volume 2“Otsu”乙巻.

In addition, volume 3 ”Hei”丙巻depicts the lives of ordinary people lively, their activities, playing and gaming scenes in downtown. The volume 4 ”Tei” 丁巻draws monks and people are playing sumo and enjoying horse ride, watching an itinerant performer with orchestra in the street.