Gorgeous & Bizarre

Overview

The stereotype of Japanese art may involve simplicity and tranquility, as represented in wabi-sabi and Zen. However, other styles contradict any notion of limitations. Such works go to extreme lengths in using loud colors and packing every possible space with extraordinary technique. Visits to Nikko and Niigata, among other spots, reveal the truth that Japanese artistic traditions include the gorgeous, the bizarre, and almost everything in-between.