sculpture

Recommended Sightseeing Spots in RomeTravels in Rome" - Charms of the Theater City of Rome and Pilgrimage to Bernini

15 recommended sightseeing spots in Rome unique to monks! Taste the best of beauty from royal to maniacal churches

In this article I will introduce some of my favorite places to visit in Rome.

In this article, we will introduce not only famous churches such as St. Peter's Basilica and the Colosseum, but also maniac churches that are not often visited by tourists.

Rome is indeed a wonderful city. However, there is a trap of having too much to see and do. We hope that our blog posts will be of help to you.
The Wonder of Sri Lanka's Giant BuddhaBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Kayoko Kusumoto, "The Wonder of Sri Lanka's Giant Buddhas" - What is the fascination of Sri Lankan Buddhist statues from a sculptor's point of view? A recommended guide to learn from a new perspective!

The author of this book is a sculptor, not a Buddhist expert.

It was extremely stimulating for me to see what the sculptors would think if they saw Buddhist art in Sri Lanka.

This book introduces a number of great works of art in Sri Lanka, from the famous Buddha images to the maniacal ones. It is also an excellent guidebook for visiting Sri Lanka, as it is richly illustrated with photographs and maps.

This was an interesting book. It is an exciting book to look at Sri Lankan Buddhist images from a new perspective.
Dostoevsky's JourneyDostoevsky and His Wife's Fateful Journey: Travels in Western Europe of Madness and Love

Takahiro Ueda, "Dostoevsky and His Wife's Fateful Journey: A Western European Journey of Madness and Love" List of Articles - Please use this list as a table of contents.

This article is a collection of 30 articles from my European travelogue, "Dostoevsky, Fateful Journey with His Wife: Travels in Western Europe of Madness and Love".

I like Dostoevsky. But above all, I love "Dostoevsky with Mrs. Anna. I would be very happy if the journey of these two men could be seen by as many people as possible.
Sri LankaBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Teruji Ito, "Introduction to Sri Lankan Buddhist Art" - Many photos! A useful guidebook for touring Buddhist monuments in Sri Lanka!

This book will look at major Buddhist sites such as Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and Kandy, as well as other distinctive Buddhist sites.

This book, in any case, contains a large number of photographs, which make it easy to visualize the local situation. In addition, the explanations are written in an easy-to-understand manner for beginners, making this a very welcome introductory work.

I highly recommend this work to anyone who is going to Sri Lanka or is interested in Sri Lankan Buddhism. This book can be a guidebook for sightseeing. Why not pick up a copy?
Apollo's CupYukio Mishima and Japanese Literature

Yukio Mishima's "The Cup of Apollo" Synopsis and Impressions - A travelogue of his first trip around the world and his experiences in Greece! Recommended to learn about Mishima's view of art!

Yukio Mishima embarked on a round-the-world trip at the end of 1951 as a special correspondent for the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. The travelogue of this trip became "Apollo's Cup.

Mishima enjoyed the ruins and art of Athens and Delphoi, and wrote about his thoughts in his travel journal. He visited many places during his round-the-world trip, but his impressions of these places clearly stand out.

And this is very interesting because it frankly describes what Mishima thought about Greek art and how it influenced his own view of literature and life.

The Cup of Apollo" is filled with Mishima's original Greek and Roman experiences. It is also a very informative work for understanding Mishima's literature and way of life.
Ajanta and ElloraIndian thought, culture and history

Ajanta and Ellora: Rock Temples and Mural Paintings of the Deccan Plateau of India" - A recommended guidebook to India's proud world heritage sites!

This book will be a recommended guidebook for the World Heritage Sites of Ajanta and Ellora in India.

The explanations of the sculptures and paintings at both sites were especially interesting. The commentary on the Buddhist tale of Jataka was particularly moving. The commentary was not just about the ruins or the art, but it also went deeper into the historical background and thought of the times, which drew me in.

I am also planning to visit Ajanta and Ellora this year. This book was a very helpful guidebook for me. I highly recommend this book.
Indian artIndian thought, culture and history

V. Dehesia, "Iwanami Sekai no Bijutsu: Indian Art" - All color, full of great photos! Recommended Indian Art Guidebook

This book is an amazing overview of art history from the Indus civilization to modern India in one volume. The book is unique in that it is richly illustrated with photographs, all in color. It is also arranged by period, so it is gratifying to know how Indian art has changed over the years.

I was particularly interested in Buddhist art, and I appreciated the beautiful photographs of early Buddhist statues and sculptures. The explanations were easy to understand and I immediately felt that this was a work I would highly recommend.
Nakamura Gen Selected Works 23Buddhism in India

Gen Nakamura's Selected Works, Volume 23, "The Ideal of Living in Buddhist Art" - A recommended book to listen to the great commentary on Indian art by a leading authority on Buddhist studies!

This book is a commentary on Buddhist art by Buddhist scholar Gen Nakamura.

Gen Nakamura is famous for his easy-to-understand commentary on Buddhist thought in relation to the historical background of the time, and he is still going strong in his commentary on Buddhist art, which is the theme of this work.

Comparisons are also made between the earliest Buddha images, such as the Gandhara and Mathura Buddha images, and the Sarnath Buddha image from the 5th century, and the characteristics of each are very easy to understand.

Also excellent is the commentary on the stupas, which have had an extremely significant impact on the development of Buddhist art.

The book also includes a very detailed description of the Ajanta Grottoes, India's pride and joy of Buddhist monuments. It is very interesting to read the comments of Dr. Hajime Nakamura, who has visited the site.
Rome and DostoevskyTravels in Rome" - Charms of the Theater City of Rome and Pilgrimage to Bernini

(42) What does Dostoevsky, who criticized Roman Catholicism, think of Rome, the temple of beauty and theater city?

We have updated our Rome travelogue 41 times so far.

As I reported in the introduction to this travelogue, I toured Rome with the question, "Although Dostoevsky hated Roman Catholicism, could he not be captivated by St. Peter's Basilica, its main temple, and Bernini's stage art in Rome?

For me, I did not forget Dostoevsky for a single moment during my stay in Rome. I was always with Dostoevsky during my stay in Europe.

So what did Dostoevsky actually think of Rome during his stay?

The truth is that we do not know as Dostoevsky left nothing behind. But even so, I have come to the conclusion that Dostoevsky would have liked but disliked Rome.
berniniTravels in Rome" - Charms of the Theater City of Rome and Pilgrimage to Bernini

(40) Bernini suffered disappointment and slander in his final years - Construction of the third colonnade in St. Peter's Square was also halted.

I cannot help but feel saddened by the fact that Bernini, who had so much glory, spent his last days in pain. If he had achieved his glory through arrogance and pushing others away, it would have been karmic retribution. But he was never like that. That is why I feel regret.

Great artists are often prone to suffer from slander. And it is not uncommon for them to finally be appreciated decades after their death. People who are called geniuses are too immense to be understood by their contemporaries. It would be extremely fortunate if they were appreciated while they were alive.