Cat and Trumpet Vine Kakejiku Hanging Scroll

This hanging scroll brings a gentle sense of narrative and seasonal presence into a space, offering moments of respite within everyday life. The scene depicts a single cat lifting its gaze toward cascading trumpet vine blossoms, as if pausing to admire the flowers above. In the cat’s subtle upward glance, one senses an unhurried, innocent moment—time spent quietly attuned to the signs of summer.

Trumpet vine is a flower that thrives in the fullness of summer light. Its vigorous vines and layered blooms convey the vitality of the season at its peak. In contrast, the cat’s presence feels tender and unaffected, introducing a soft modulation of pace within the composition. The interplay between the plant’s expansive growth and the cat’s fleeting movement creates a rhythm that feels both natural and pleasing.

The flow of the vines, the overlapping blossoms, and the supple lines of the cat’s body are rendered with a restrained, deliberate touch. Pale washes of black drifting through the open space evoke a still atmosphere and a quiet sense of time passing, allowing the scene to linger gently in the viewer’s mind.

The artist, Nishimura Kingyo, graduated in 1987 from Kyoto City University of Arts, where he specialized in nihonga (traditional Japanese painting). Based in Kyoto, he has presented work in a range of solo and group exhibitions.

Kaitakudo Art

Founded in Gifu, a region renowned for its rich Mino washi heritage, Kaitakudo Art has been crafting kakejiku, Japanese hanging scrolls, for over fifty years. Their work is supported by skilled artisans, including nationally certified first-grade specialists in traditional art mounting who uphold time-honored techniques. From planning and mounting to retail, they oversee the entire process in-house, ensuring consistent quality at every step. 

While preserving tradition, they continue to explore new possibilities for kakejiku—developing styles that suit modern interiors and sharing the beauty of Japanese art with the world.

Kakejiku Hanging Scrolls

Japanese hanging scrolls, known as kakejiku or kakemono, are a traditional form of Japanese wall art that has been cherished for over a thousand years. Featuring Japanese calligraphy, seasonal motifs, or paintings, each scroll is crafted with refined techniques that reflect the beauty of nature and culture.

Versatile and timeless, they can be displayed in homes, tea rooms, or modern interiors, and are often referred to as picture scrolls or Japanese scrolls. Their lightweight form makes them easy to roll, store, and rotate with the season or occasion. As an enduring expression of Japanese wall art, hanging scrolls bring harmony to any space.