Friday, October 6, 2023

(2979) The two gentlemen...

Nihon_Arekore_03008_Jimbocho_shoes_Fujin_Raijin_100_cl

...are Fujin (風神), the god of winds and Raijin (雷神), the god of thunder and lightning, children of the goddess Izanami n Mikoto (伊邪那美命) who with her brother and husband Izanagi no Mikoto (伊邪那岐命) created Japan. This depiction has been created by the painter Tawaraya Sotatsu  (俵屋 宗達, 1570-1640) and is in Kyoto --in the picture, some very imaginative leather worker transferred it to the soles of a pair of shoes. The shop is in Tokyo's Jimbocho (神保町) which is known for its countless bookshop and antiquarian bookshops and has been featured on this here blog

(For a bigger version of this picture both in color and black and white, check my "Japan Arekore" set on Flickr).

0 comments: