This hanging scroll brings together the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms and the Zen phrase ichi-go ichi-e (a once-in-a-lifetime encounter), quietly conveying the value of each unrepeatable encounter. The striking circle at the top of the composition is rendered as a symbolic “window.” Beyond it, an exterior landscape seems to unfold, and when the scroll is displayed, it creates the sensation of an additional window opening within the room, subtly extending the space beyond its physical boundaries.

Beside the circular window, two sparrows perch on a branch of blooming cherry blossoms. Facing one another, they appear to be exchanging words, as if sharing their delight at the arrival of spring. Sparrows have long been regarded as auspicious motifs in Japan, associated with family harmony, household safety, and the continuity of generations.

At the center of the work is the Zen inscription ichi-go ichi-e. The phrase expresses the idea that every moment and every encounter occurs only once in a lifetime, a concept deeply cherished within the spirit of the tea ceremony. In this piece, the characters are written in ink blended with metallic pigment; as the ink dries, a soft golden sheen gradually emerges. The surface responds delicately to light, revealing shifting nuances and a sense of depth that changes with the viewer’s perspective.

The artist, Kimura Ryohei, is a Japanese-style painter from Kagoshima Prefecture, born in 1958. Now based in Gifu, he continues to pursue expression through washi paper and bokusaiga (ink-and-color painting), working with motifs such as birds and flowers, landscapes, and figures as a member of the Bokusai-kai (Ink and Color Painting Association)