Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2011

From time immemorial, the Kasuga mountains in Nara Prefecture have been worshipped as holy ground, becoming the site of the Kasuga Shrine in the 8th century. Kasuga’s sublime scenery has also generated some of Japan’s landmark works of art, some of which are now on view at the recently renovated Nezu Museum. These range from early masterpieces like the Kasuga Deer Mandala created in the Kamakura period to Edo period screens of famous sites such as Illustrated Tales of the Miracles of the Kasuga Deity created by Sumiyoshi Jokei in the 17th century.

Nezu Museum, until Nov 6 (listing).