Written in the hand of Sonʼen Shinnō
1346
Donated by Homma Yūsuke
Sonʼen Shinnō (1298-1356) was the sixth son of Emperor Fushimi. He was able to make use of his talent as a calligrapher, a skill passed down from his father whose talent was Noh calligraphy, establishing a new style of penmanship known as the “Shōrenin School.” His new style incorporated a wide variety of handwriting stylings, which continued to have a tremendous impact upon Japanese calligraphy into the Edo era.
This is a letter in his own hand, with information gained from an individual named Kokū regarding Yamanishi Village in Otanoshō, Echizen (modern Fukui Prefecture) given to an individual named Koshimaru. Shinnō encourages them to work seriously and with diligence, and also orders them to prohibit the partition of territory.
Koshimaru was an attendant of Sonʼen, and in 1346, he was entrusted with a copy of the Shugyokushū, a collection of waka poems by Jichen Oshō compiled by Son’en. This scroll is thought to have been granted as recognition of his success in this endeavor, and in long years of hard work.