[Japanese Side] Exhibition Ongoing in Korea... 100-Year-Old Painter Fujishiro Seiji Depicting Peace

Famous as the 'Shadow Painter'... Known for Mysterious and Fairy Tale-like Atmosphere
Continuing Artistic Work for World Peace Despite Being 100 Years Old

Since January, the "Osaka Panorama Exhibition" celebrating the 100th anniversary of painter Fujishiro Seiji's birth has been held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Gallery. Reviews from visitors have been posted on social networking services (SNS). In Japan, there has also been extensive coverage of Mr. Fujishiro, who is turning 100 this year. To help you before visiting the exhibition, today we share the story of the centenarian painter Fujishiro Seiji.

Born in Tokyo in 1924, Fujishiro entered the Faculty of Economics at Keio University. During the war, he served in the navy and performed puppet shows with his subordinates. After the war ended, he returned to Keio University and, while trying to immerse himself again in puppet shows, he became captivated by shadow plays and devoted himself to them. This led him to start drawing pictures that seemed to appear in shadow plays. This is why Fujishiro is called the "Shadow Painter."

Seiji Fujishiro at work. (Photo by Seiji Fujishiro X account)

His painting style is charming and mystical, like something out of a fairy tale. He serialized drawings in the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, and when asked to draw anything, he recalled the dwarf characters from shadow plays. These characters later appeared as mascots in his paintings.

Regarding his art, Fujishiro said, "Because I have experienced war, I have consciously avoided motifs related to war or disasters," and added, "Instead, I expressed the joys of human life and encounters with nature such as animals, flowers, and trees." He also created shadow picture books like "The Strange Journey of the Wine Bottle" and staged various shadow plays.

In the 1970s, he created the frog character "Keroyon," which appeared in TV cartoons. Wanting to create a character that would be loved forever, he purchased broadcasting rights and produced and aired the show himself. Originally named "Kero-chan," the character earned the nickname "Keroyon" thanks to the frog's cheerful expression that did not get discouraged even after failures. Keroyon became a craze, appearing all over amusement parks and department stores.

Seiji Fujishiro's work "Paradise of the Dwarfs." (Photo by Seiji Fujishiro Official Website)

His life, filled with drawing such charming things, changed when he turned 81 in 2005. While visiting Hiroshima for a signing event, he saw the Atomic Bomb Dome and resolved to create paintings that make people think about why wars happen. In the summer of 2012, after the Great East Japan Earthquake, he visited the affected Tohoku region and painted the landscapes. He said, "Rather than wanting to forget because many people died, I want to depict the reality of the earthquake to inspire hope for the future. That is my mission."

Regarding the Noto Peninsula earthquake that struck Japan on New Year's Day this year, he originally planned to paint the famous lantern festival in the Noto Peninsula but expressed regret that the earthquake occurred. Despite being 100 years old, he plans to visit the area and capture it in paintings once the situation improves.

Having lived through war, he strongly opposes it. In an interview with the Mainichi Shimbun, he said about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, "It seems that interest is waning these days. The war continues in reality, and we must not forget it," adding, "We need to show that the power of culture and art is greater than scientific progress. I hope my paintings can help bring peace." In fact, he created paintings themed on Ukraine and donated part of the sales to the embassy through charity sales. Due to these activities, he is gaining attention again as the "Painter of Peace."

Work 'Alice's Heart'. (Photo by Fujishiro Seiji)

Despite being 100 years old, his passion for creating art remains strong. The secret to his continued activity is walking. Until his 80s, he walked 10,000 steps a day, and he still walks 5,000 to 6,000 steps daily from his home to the caf? where he works. He also visited Korea for the exhibition at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. He said, "If invited, I will go anywhere in the world."

Fujishiro has witnessed four Japanese eras: Taisho, Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa. When asked by a reporter about his feelings, he replied, "A hundred years is both long and short. Perhaps the preciousness of life is something I only came to understand when I was nearly 100."

In Japan, an exhibition titled "Fujishiro Seiji 100 Years Beautiful Earth, Joy of Living, Toward the Future" is scheduled to be held at the Fukuoka City Museum this coming April. In these times of conflict, it might be good to visit the exhibition on a weekend and reflect on peace.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.