Daikaku-ji Temple 大覚寺 - Limited Edition 67/150 & Hand-Signed - Takehisa Imai 今井武久 (b. 1940) - Japan

We cannot ship to the USA due to suspension of the postal services from Malta. (Please read below).

Daikaku-ji (大覚寺, Daikaku-ji) is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Ukyō-ku, a western ward in the city of Kyoto, Japan. The site was originally a residence of Emperor Saga (785–842 CE), and later various emperors conducted their cloistered rule from here. The Saga Go-ryū school of ikebana has its headquarters in the temple. The artificial lake of the temple, Ōsawa Pond, is one of the oldest Japanese garden ponds to survive from the Heian period.

The origins of the temple dates back to the Heian period in the year 814 CE, when Emperor Saga had a palace, known as the Saga-in, constructed on the site. The palace later became his seat of retirement, known as Saga Rikyu imperial villa. According to tradition, when Japan suffered a serious epidemic, the Buddhist monk Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism, suggested that the Emperor Saga personally copy an important Buddhist religious document called the Heart Sutra (Hannya Shingyō). The emperor made a handwritten copy, and the epidemic is said to have ended. The handwritten sutra is kept at the Shingyōden hall of the temple, and is displayed to the public once every sixty years, the next time being in 2078. Pilgrims still come to the temple to make copies of the sutra, which are kept in the temple with the original. (source: Wikipedia)

Although Takehisa Imai is a sought after hanga artist, and many serious collectors have his prints in their collection, very little is known about him. All I could find is that Mr. Imai was born in Nagoya city, Aichi prefecture, and is a member of Nihon Bijutsuin.

This specific print has been framed. It show very slight sunburn, and has tape on the back. The print itself is in excellent condition.

Due to the large size of the print, it will be shipped registered in a tube. This allows for drastically reduced shipping costs.

Due to the introduction of the import tariff system in 2025, Maltapost has suspended all postal services to the USA until further notice. If you live in the USA, you will need to give an alternative address outside of the USA for shipments. Otherwise, please refrain from bidding.