The legendary gods, the wind god and the thunder god, have returned~

The Wind God and the Thunder God, beings that have been passed down from ancient times and who rule over wind and thunder.
Tawaraya Sotatsu's "Fujin and Thunder God Screen", which depicts their appearances, transcends the times and continues to captivate the hearts of many people to this day.

The Wind God and Thunder God, filled with traditional art sensibilities, are back this time in KARAKU black t-shirts.
Born at the intersection of art and fashion, this T-shirt is a work of KARAKU's unique style that reinterprets traditional beauty with a modern sensibility.
Shall we watch it together from now on?

1. The Origin of the Wind God and the Thunder God

It is said that the origins of the Wind God and the Thunder God are in China, but the details about them are not known, and their names are also inconsistent, such as "Wind Earl" (風伯), "Wind Master" (風師), "Thunder Lord" (雷公), and "Thunder Master" (雷師).
In the 1st century Wu clan shrine and the Northern Wei tombs, there are drawings of what are presumed to be the wind god and thunder god.

"Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Statues of the Twenty-Eight Parts"
Collection: Hosomi Museum of Art

The '28 Groups' are the guardian deities of the Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara, and each god is in charge of natural phenomena or specific powers.
Among these, the Wind God and the Thunder God are the two main gods symbolizing natural phenomena, with the Wind God ruling over the wind and the Thunder God ruling over thunder and lightning.

Sugawara no Michizane (菅原道真), a famous Japanese politician, scholar, and man of letters, is worshipped as the god of thunder, and is deeply rooted in Japanese culture. He has become an important god in Japanese culture, transcending Buddhism.
Next, I will introduce the representative painter who painted the "Wind God and Thunder God Painting."

2. "Pungshin and Raishindo" drawn by Soda Ya

“Wind God and Thunder God Folding Screen” (Tawaraya Sotatsu)
Collection: Kennin-ji Temple, Kyoto National Museum

When you say "Fujin-Raijindō" in Japan, Tawaraya Sotatsu immediately comes to mind.
This work is his representative work, and is a famous painting that imprinted the images of the god of wind and the god of thunder in the memories of the Japanese people.

Sotatsu is said to have been born around 1570 and was a painter who led a workshop called 'Tawaraya' in Kyoto.
Although the details of his life are unknown, he was highly regarded by Hon'ami Kotsu and others and was active as a representative painter of the Rinpa school.

Although the "Fujin and Thunder God Screen" is now well known as a national treasure of Kennin-ji Temple, many mysteries still remain about its origins.
According to one theory, the wealthy merchant Uta Koki donated this piece to Myoko-ji Temple, and it was later moved to Kennin-ji Temple.

There is also an interpretation that the composition with a large blank space in the center of the work originated from Sotatsu's experience drawing fan pictures.

3. Modern interpretation and meaning of the wind god and thunder god

In modern times, the god of wind and the god of thunder are considered to symbolize coexistence and harmony with nature.
Powers of nature that were once feared, such as wind power and disaster prevention research, have now transformed into entities that have a positive impact on our lives.

It is also loved as a creative motif in various fields such as art, literature, fashion, and the stage, and has established itself as a source of new interpretations and inspiration across time.

4. Incorporating KARAKU’s black T-shirt design

KARAKU The reason Japanese designers chose the Wind God and Thunder God as their motif is not simply because of the beauty of the design, but also because they wanted to express traditional Japanese gods with a modern sensibility.

The black T-shirt is a modern fashion item, and the historical motifs of the god of wind and the god of thunder are combined to create an exquisite harmony of street sensibility and traditional beauty.

Product Details: Tawaraya Sotatsu "Fujin Raijinji" Embroidered Heavyweight T-shirt

This t-shirt does a great job of expressing the theme of how to reflect traditional beauty in the modern era.
The images of “strength” and “protection” that the motifs of the god of wind and the god of thunder possess perfectly fit with modern fashion.
KARAKU's goal is not to simply reproduce designs, but to create new fashion by fusing tradition and modernity.
To this end, KARAKU actively attempts to collaborate with not only Japanese designers but also Korean designers, and aims to capture diverse interpretations and perspectives on East Asian traditional culture.
These attempts to cross cultural boundaries are further enriching KARAKU's unique style.
Please look forward to KARAKU's new fashion designs in 2025. ^^