The most famous Japanese paintings
The top 3 according to 2 votes from people: Wind God and Thunder God — Tawaraya Sōtatsu · Irises — Ogata Kōrin · Red and White Plum Blossoms — Ogata Kōrin. (Updated Aug 27, 2025.)
From national-treasure screens and scrolls to modern masterpieces: the works most often named as classics of Japanese art.
Automatically translated (original in 日本語). See the original
Top 16
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1
Wind God and Thunder God — Tawaraya Sōtatsu
17th century. A national treasure symbolising the Rinpa school. Kennin-ji.
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2
Irises — Ogata Kōrin
18th century. Blue irises on gold. Nezu Museum.
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3
Red and White Plum Blossoms — Ogata Kōrin
A late masterpiece with a river in the middle. MOA Museum.
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4
Chōjū-giga
12th-13th century. Frogs and rabbits at play, "Japan's oldest manga". Kōzan-ji.
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5
The Tale of Genji Scrolls
12th century. The oldest surviving illustrated Genji scrolls.
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6
Beauty Looking Back — Hishikawa Moronobu
17th century. A hand-painted ukiyo-e of a woman turning round.
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7
Scenes In and Around Kyoto (Uesugi screens) — Kanō Eitoku
16th century. A bird's-eye view of Kyoto.
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8
Chinese Lions — Kanō Eitoku
16th century. Two giant lions.
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9
Autumn and Winter Landscapes — Sesshū
15th century. A masterpiece of ink painting.
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10
Colourful Realm of Living Beings — Itō Jakuchū
18th century. Thirty scrolls of birds and flowers.
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11
The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō — Utagawa Hiroshige
1830s. Ukiyo-e of the post towns on the Tōkaidō.
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12
Lakeside — Kuroda Seiki
1897. A woman in a yukata by Lake Ashi.
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13
Reiko Smiling — Kishida Ryūsei
1921. His daughter Reiko's strange smile.
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14
Fallen Leaves — Hishida Shunsō
1909. A quiet woodland on folding screens.
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15
Endless Flux — Yokoyama Taikan
1923. A 40-metre scroll following the life of water.
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16
Pine Trees — Hasegawa Tōhaku
16th century. Pines in the mist. Tokyo National Museum.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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