Showa 1980s Calligraphy Scroll Kakejiku by Tanaka Mamoru (Approximately180X45CM)

Excellent vintage condition. The scroll is exceptionally well preserved with no noticeable stains, tears, or significant wear. The bold calligraphy remains crisp and striking, and the silk mounting displays beautifully. Measures approximately 180 × 45 cm.

This late twentieth-century Shinto calligraphy hanging scroll features the sacred inscription 天照皇大神 (Amaterasu Ōmikami), the sun goddess and supreme deity of Shinto. Executed in bold, formal brushwork, the scroll emphasizes the divine name itself, reflecting a long-standing tradition of devotional calligraphy intended for worship rather than pictorial representation.

The scroll is signed 田中護書 ("Written by Tanaka Mamoru") and bears two official seals beneath the signature. The accompanying inscription identifies the calligrapher as the Chief Priest (宮司) of the Ise Jingū Naikū Branch Shrine in Kōfu (甲府市伊勢神宮内宮分社), indicating that the work was produced under the authority of a Shinto shrine for religious use.

Designed for display in a kamidana (household Shinto altar) or tokonoma, scrolls of this type served as daily objects of veneration and symbols of divine protection. Rather than depicting the deity in human form, the monumental calligraphy presents the sacred name of Amaterasu, encouraging reverence through the power of the written word.

Amaterasu Ōmikami occupies the highest position within the Shinto pantheon as the ancestral kami of the Imperial House and the source of divine light and harmony. Reverence for Amaterasu is centered at Ise Grand Shrine, Japan's most sacred Shinto shrine, where she has been worshipped for centuries.

Calligraphic shrine scrolls such as this are commonly issued or commissioned by Shinto shrines for parishioners and supporters. Their restrained design, centered on the deity's sacred name, reflects the enduring importance of devotional calligraphy in modern Shinto practice.

An elegant shrine-issued devotional scroll that combines refined brushwork with deep religious significance, making it an exceptional example of late Shōwa-period Shinto calligraphy.