Shikoku Indigo

Shikoku is the smallest, least populated of Japan’s four major islands. It’s known for its 88-temple route, temples and shrines associated with... more

by Carol Leigh

Title

Shikoku Indigo

Artist

Carol Leigh

Medium

Mixed Media

Description

Shikoku is the smallest, least populated of Japan’s four major islands. It’s known for its 88-temple route, temples and shrines associated with Kobo Daishi, a famous saint-monk. As pilgrims follow the route, they collect “gofu” papers that are issued at each shrine or temple. These papers are symbols of spiritual beings and act as talismans, or amulets. Pilgrims also carry with them small books (called “goshuin-cho”) that are stamped (like a rubber stamp, usually with red ink) at each of the temples/shrines.

In my Japanese ephemera collection, I have both a Shikoku pilgrimage book and more than 80 gofu papers, dating back to the early Showa period (which began with the reign of Emperor Hirohito in 1926 and ended in 1989). I’m in the process of photographing and scanning these papers, the red ink stamps, and then combining this special material with other aged papers and postage stamps to make completely new and different Shikoku-based collages/photomontages.

Uploaded

February 23rd, 2020