Hanko Kajita, Sparrows on Plum Blossom

Hanko Kajita

Hanko Kajita was born to a metal engraver at a time of upheaval and modernisation in Japan. Within Japanese art, Kajita specialised in nihon-ga painting and woodblock prints, but was most well known for creating illustrations and kuchi-e (frontispieces) for novels and magazines. He trained under Gyokutei Nabeta and later under Nanga (southern style) painter Kenko Ishii.

In 1898, Kajita took up a position as vice-principal at Toyama Prefectural School of Arts and Crafts in Takaoka City. This did not last even a year however, and he returned to the capital where he eventually established his own private art school. He also continued to be an illustrator at Yomiuri Shinbun. Kajita’s fame exploded with his illustrations for the 1900 - 1901 serialised novel Demon of Gold. His successful career was relatively short-lived, passing away from Tuberculosis at age 47.