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

Tsugi shikishi, together with "Sunshoan shikishi" and "Masu shikishi," is famous as one of the top three shikishi (thick square paper used for calligraphic poems or paintings). Originally it was used to make a booklet bound in decchoso style (a type of book-binding with paste), where the first half of a poem was written on one piece of shikishi paper and the second half on another. This is why it is called tsugi (patched) shikishi. Poems and stories from "The Tale of Genji," "Kokin Wakashu" and many others used to be written on fancy shikishi sheets in white, indigo blue, light indigo blue, light purple and yellow, which were collectively called "chodotehon." Currently these sheets are possessed separately by different families.
This piece shows a poem "In the summer night, the dawn has come soon while the evening still seems here. Has the wandering moon found a place somewhere in the clouds?" (Kokin Wakahu, Vol. 3 Summer, Kiyohara no Fukayabu) written on a sheet of indigo blue dyed shikishi.