National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

　　The twenty-four shouheki-ga (paintings on walls, sliding doors and free-standing screens) in the houjou (abbot's chamber) of the former Daisen-in are now owned by this museum. They were originally part of the group of shouheki-ga in the entire Daisen-in, a temple that was part of Daitoku-ji (Daitoku Temple) in Kyoto. They are in the hanging scroll form today, but were originally fusuma-e or kabe-haritsuke-e (paintings pasted onto walls).
Daisen-in is a tacchū (small temple attached to a bigger one) established by the celebrated monk, Kogaku Soukou (1465–1548) as his place for retirement in Eishou 10 (1513). As an existing houjou, it is the second oldest remaining building, next only to Ryougin-an of Tofuku-ji in Kyoto. With devotions from leading figures of the time, such as the emperor and the shogun, Kogaku appointed the best painters, including Souami and Kano Motonobu, for the production of shouheki-ga paintings in the houjou. Most of the major parts of those paintings have survived. Other than twenty-four pieces in this museum, there are also Shiki-sansui-zu (Landscapes of the Four Seasons by Souami, the central room) on sixteen scrolls, Shiki-kachou-zu (Paintings of Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons by Kano Motonobu, the Danna room) on eight scrolls, and Shiki-kousaku-zu (Paintings of Farming Scenes in the Four Seasons handed down as by Kano Yukinobu, the Rai room) on eight scrolls.