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

The right six-fold screen depicts three travelers on horsebacks advancing in fields and mountains at dawn while the moon can still be seen in the sky, and the left six-fold screen illustrates four old noble hermits climbing a steep mountain road, over valleys and river brightly shown by sunlight, with the help from servant boys. Both scenes are presented humorously. This screen shows highly refined tastes and is painted with simple strokes. Yosa Buson, who was both a haiku poet and painter, is not only renowned as the person who perfected the southern school of Chinese painting in Japan together with Ikeno Taiga, but he is also famous as a pioneer of the art of haiku picture.