Media Device for Hand Scroll 2008

Full Conference
One-Day Full Conference
Basic Conference/Exhibits Plus

This reproduction of the handscroll of Poems of the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets over Design of Cranes is a rolled up scroll of paper. But the paper is blank. When the media device is engaged, the projected image of the Crane Scroll appears on blank paper.


As viewers unroll the scroll, they can decide which part they want to view (for example, only the calligraphy of Hon'ami Koetsu or only the painting by Sotatsu). They can also hear a recitation of the poetry, sung in the traditional manner by members of the Reizai family.

Viewers are free to use this system as they like, as they gain the understanding that the original handscroll was also, in a very real sense, an interactive medium.

This project is supported by the Kyoto National Museum, Reizei-ke Shiguretei-bunko, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, IAMAS, IDD at Tama Art University, and members of the Hon'ami Koetsu multimedia project.

Yasuhito Nagahara
Nobuya Suzuki
Keiko Kobayashi