Kashima Arts is holding "MEGURU" Vol. 27 MAIN SALE, an art auction, from August 22 (Saturday) to 30 (Sunday), 2026. This edition brings together an unusually large group of 15 works by Itō Jakuchū alongside a complete 12-panel set of Shikō Munakata's Two Bodhisattvas and Ten Disciples of Śākyamuni, making it one of the most notable lineups in the auction's history.
MEGURU began in 2019 as an auction dealing in a wide range of art, centered on early modern and modern Japanese painting but also including Western-style painting, calligraphy, prints, and crafts. Since its founding, it has introduced carefully selected works entrusted by sellers across Japan to art lovers at home and abroad, and it now runs four times a year.
The MAIN SALE, which began in 2023, is a special once-a-year auction featuring only rigorously selected, top-quality works. This year's Vol. 27 MAIN SALE brings together what is considered the auction's most substantial lineup yet, both in quality and rarity.
Itō Jakuchū: 15 Works, an Unusually Large Group
A major highlight this time is that 15 works by Itō Jakuchū, a master of Edo-period painting, are being offered — the largest number ever assembled for a single MEGURU sale. Opportunities to see this many Jakuchū works offered together are extremely rare, and the sale has drawn strong interest from the market.
Among them, particular attention is on "Dragon." The dragon in the "Rain Dragon" held by the Akita City Senshu Museum of Art faces forward and is widely known, but this work depicts the dragon in profile instead. The scales covering the dragon's body make extensive use of Jakuchū's characteristic "sujime-gaki" line technique, and applying it this densely across an entire motif is said to be rare. The work allows viewers to fully appreciate Jakuchū's exceptional draftsmanship and original expression.
Shikō Munakata's Complete 12-Panel Two Bodhisattvas and Ten Disciples of Śākyamuni
Also being offered is the complete 12-panel Two Bodhisattvas and Ten Disciples of Śākyamuni, the celebrated masterpiece that was highly acclaimed at the 1956 Venice Biennale and helped establish Shikō Munakata's international reputation. Opportunities for this series to appear on the market in its complete form are rare, and its inclusion is a defining highlight of "MEGURU" Vol. 27 MAIN SALE.
213 Japanese Art Highlights, Including Works by Tsuguharu Foujita and Kawanabe Kyōsai
The sale also includes a rare oil painting, "Church and Girl," by Tsuguharu Foujita, who is highly regarded in Western art markets, along with a notable work by Kawanabe Kyōsai, whose exhibitions at the Suntory Museum of Art and at Kashima Arts drew strong responses.
Beyond paintings, the lineup extends to calligraphy by Ikkyū Sōjun — widely known as the model for "Ikkyū-san" — and craft works by Itaya Hazan, a leading figure in modern ceramics, bringing the full lineup to 213 pieces that collectors and art lovers will not want to miss.
A selection of the works is already being unveiled on the official website, with further pieces to follow.
Official website: https://meguru-auction.jp/
Preview Viewing Open to Everyone in August
During "MEGURU" Vol. 27 MAIN SALE, a preview viewing will be held where anyone can freely view the works. The pieces are displayed without glass cases, letting visitors examine their texture and presence up close, and experience firsthand the sense of history carried by works passed down across generations — a rare opportunity unique to an auction.
Those unable to attend the preview can still view every work offered and place bids directly through the official website.
Event Overview
- Event: "MEGURU" Vol. 27 MAIN SALE (art auction)
- Preview viewing: August 22 (Saturday) to August 30 (Sunday), 2026 — free admission, open every day during the run
- Location: Kashima Arts (Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo)
- Hours: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Works offered: 213
- Bidding deadline: August 30 (Sunday), 2026, 6:00 PM
Preview Highlights
- No glass cases — view works up close: Works are displayed without glass cases, so visitors can see the texture, brushwork, and scale of each piece up close. Some works are not always on display, so ask staff if there is a particular piece you would like to see.
- Guidance from specialist staff: Knowledgeable staff are on hand throughout the preview to answer questions about technique, highlights, or an artist's background.
- On-site bidding: Visitors who find a work they want can bid by filling out a bidding form and placing it in the bidding box at the venue — a simple process even for first-time bidders. Condition reports can also be sent to those unable to attend in person.
Official Website and Catalog
The official website allows visitors to browse and bid on the full lineup of works as they are progressively unveiled starting today.
A free original catalog featuring all works offered is also available on request through an online application form.
- Official website: https://meguru-auction.jp/
- Bidding period: August 17 (Monday) to August 30 (Sunday), 2026, 6:00 PM
- Catalog request form: https://meguru-auction.jp/mem_inquiry
Printed catalogs are limited in number; once the supply is exhausted, only the web catalog will be available.
Featured Artists
Itō Jakuchū
Active in Kyoto during the mid-Edo period, Jakuchū depicted birds, animals, and plants with exceptional powers of observation and meticulous brushwork, developing an unmatched style of expression. His work, which fused realism and decorative sensibility to a high degree, stood out even among his contemporaries, and renewed reappraisal at home and abroad in recent years has brought it strong attention in the art market.
"Dragon" and others; 15 works offered.
Shikō Munakata
Munakata called his woodblock prints 板画 and opened new ground in modern printmaking through bold lines and a spiritually charged style of expression. Acclaim at international exhibitions established his worldwide reputation, and he continues to enjoy steady support from collectors in Japan and abroad.
Two Bodhisattvas and Ten Disciples of Śākyamuni (complete set of 12) and others; 13 works offered.
Tsuguharu Foujita
Active mainly in Paris, Foujita became a central figure of the École de Paris through his distinctive technique featuring a milky-white skin tone. His works depicting cats and female figures are highly regarded internationally, and he stands as a representative example of a Japanese painter who achieved early success in the global art market.
"Church and Girl" and others; 4 works offered.
Kawanabe Kyōsai
Building on techniques from the Kanō school, Kyōsai freely depicted a wide range of subjects — from caricature and yōkai to genre scenes — during the late Edo and Meiji periods. His style, combining exceptional brushwork with humor, is highly regarded overseas, and rising market values in recent years have brought increasing attention from collectors.
"Shōki Capturing a Demon" and others; 4 works offered.
Main Featured Artists
- Classical painting: Yosa Buson, Itō Jakuchū, Soga Shōhaku, Maruyama Ōkyo, Nagasawa Rosetsu, Mori Sosen, Sakai Hōitsu, Suzuki Kiitsu, Katsushika Hokusai, Kanō Hōgai, Kawanabe Kyōsai, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Watanabe Seitei
- Modern painting: Yokoyama Taikan, Hishida Shunsō, Kawai Gyokudō, Kimura Buzan, Takeuchi Seihō, Uemura Shōen, Itō Shinsui, Maeda Seison, Hayami Gyoshū, Ono Chikkyō, Tanaka Isson, Kataoka Tamako, Hirayama Ikuo, Senju Hiroshi
- Western-style painting: Tsuguharu Foujita, Kumagai Morikazu, Koiso Ryōhei, Tōgō Seiji, Kamoi Rei, Marc Chagall
- Calligraphy: Ikkyū Sōjun, Date Masamune, Taigu Ryōkan, Saigō Nanshū, Nakaoka Shintarō, Iwasaki Yatarō, Fukuzawa Yukichi, Natsume Sōseki
- Folk crafts: Shikō Munakata, Serizawa Keisuke, Kawai Kanjirō
- Crafts: Ogata Kenzan, Namikawa Yasuyuki, Kitaōji Rosanjin, Itaya Hazan, Hirakushi Denchū, Émile Gallé
