A high-definition replica of Flock of Cranes (Gunkakuzu Byōbu), a folding screen painting by Edo-period artist Ishida Yūtei held in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, has been donated to Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History through the Tsuzuri Project (officially the Cultural Heritage Future Preservation Project). The piece is on display from February 25 (Wed) through May 6 (Wed), 2026.
About the Work
Flock of Cranes depicts thirty-six cranes against a gold background across a pair of six-panel folding screens. The composition includes multiple crane species — among them red-crowned cranes, hooded cranes, and common cranes — each rendered in a different pose, producing a work of rhythmic visual variety.
Ishida Yūtei, the artist, was born in Harima-no-kuni Akashi-gun (present-day Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture) and was active during the mid-Edo period as a painter of the Tsuruzawa school (a branch of the Kano school). His style combined realism and decorative flair, qualities that are well reflected in this work.
The original screen is held in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art in the United States, making opportunities to view it in Japan extremely limited. The completion of this high-definition replica through the Tsuzuri Project has made a homecoming to Hyogo, the homeland of Ishida Yūtei, possible.
How the High-Definition Replica Was Created
The reproduction was produced by combining Canon's imaging technology with Kyoto's traditional craftsmanship. The original work was photographed with a Canon full-frame mirrorless camera and then processed using a proprietary color-matching system. The image was output on a large-format inkjet printer equipped with twelve pigment inks. Kyoto traditional craftspeople then applied gold leaf and other decorative treatments before mounting the piece as a folding screen, resulting in a reproduction that faithfully recreates the original cultural property.
Exhibition at Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History
The donated work is on display in the first-floor lobby of Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History from February 25 (Wed) through May 6 (Wed), 2026. Visitors can view the piece up close without a glass case and are welcome to take photographs.
During the same period, the museum's "Art and Daily Life" area (free admission) will also feature Ishida Yūtei's Four Seasons Genre Scenes (Shiki Fuzoku-zu Byōbu) from the museum's permanent collection. For opening hours and further exhibition details, see the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History website: https://rekihaku.pref.hyogo.lg.jp/
About the Tsuzuri Project
The Tsuzuri Project is a cultural preservation initiative that has been carried out jointly since 2007. Japan's precious cultural heritage includes many works that are rarely available for public viewing in Japan — having passed overseas or being carefully preserved as national treasures. The project creates high-definition replicas that faithfully reproduce such works by fusing advanced imaging technology with the skills of Kyoto traditional craftspeople. The completed replicas are donated to temples, shrines, municipalities, and museums associated with the originals, where they are made available to the public and used in educational settings. To date, more than 60 high-definition replicas have been produced, featuring works by artists including Katsushika Hokusai, Tawaraya Sōtatsu, and Ogata Kōrin.
For more information about the Tsuzuri Project: https://global.canon/ja/tsuzuri/
