News Release

Tsuzuri Project donates a high-resolution facsimile of a 16th-century Japanese national treasure to the birthplace of the artist, supporting regional recovery from natural disasters

TOKYO, September 5, 2025—Canon Inc. announced today that the Tsuzuri Project (officially, the Cultural Heritage Inheritance Project), a joint project organized by Canon and Kyoto Culture Association (NPO), will donate a high-resolution facsimile of Maple by Hasegawa Tōhaku, which has been designated as a national treasure, to Nanao City in Ishikawa Prefecture, the artist's birthplace.

This donation, which was made possible with the special cooperation of Chishakuin Temple—the head temple of the Chisan school of Shingon Buddhism in Kyoto and the owner of the original artwork—is intended to support the region’s recovery from damage caused by the Noto Peninsula earthquake in 2024.

Canon jointly reproduced the cultural property as part of Stage 17 of the Tsuzuri Project. Its EOS R5 full-frame mirrorless camera was used to capture images of the original work, after which Canon applied its proprietary color matching system and image processing. The facsimile was then output using large-format inkjet printers with 12-color pigment ink. Finally, Kyoto master craftsmen applied gold leaf to the facsimile and mounted it as wall-mounted panels (kabe-haritsuke), achieving an exceptionally faithful reproduction of the original work.

The reproduced artwork will be publicly exhibited¹ at the Ishikawa Nanao Art Museum on September 20, and in the morning of September 21, 2025. Visitors will be able to view the work up close without a glass case and are welcome to take photographs. Additionally, the facsimile will be used in educational programs at local elementary and junior high schools as part of the Tokyo National Museum’s recovery support initiative titled “Hito Noto Art ” ². These programs will include artwork appreciation classes featuring both the newly donated Maple and a previously produced facsimile of Hasegawa Tōhaku’s renowned Pine Trees. Through these activities, local students will gain opportunities to engage with the legacy of a native artist and deepen their understanding of Japanese cultural heritage. The piece will continue to be utilized in future exhibitions and educational programs at the Ishikawa Nanao Art Museum and schools throughout Nanao City.

About the artwork

Maple is a masterpiece of the Momoyama period, depicting a grand maple tree with vivid red and green leaves against a gold background. The work captures the opulence and lyricism of Japan’s autumnal landscape. Created by Hasegawa Tōhaku (1539–1610), a native of Noto (present-day Ishikawa Prefecture), the painting is considered one of the finest examples of kinpeki shouhekiga ³. It is designated as a national treasure alongside Cherry Blossoms, which was painted by his son Kyūzō.

About the Tsuzuri Project

The Tsuzuri Project is a joint cultural support activity organized by Canon and Kyoto Culture Association (NPO) in 2007. Many of Japan’s precious historical and cultural assets have limited viewing opportunities, often because they have been moved overseas or are preserved in storage as designated national treasures. The project produces high-resolution facsimiles by combining Canon’s technical expertise in imaging, processing, and output with the master craftsmanship of traditional Kyoto artisans. These high-resolution facsimiles are donated to institutions with ties to cultural assets such as shrines, temples, local governments, and museums and are available for a variety of purposes including public display and tangible educational materials. So far, more than 60 high-resolution facsimiles of artwork from artists including Katsushika Hokusai, Tawaraya Sōtatsu, and Ogata Kōrin have been produced.

For more information, please visit the official Tsuzuri Project website:
https://global.canon/en/tsuzuri/

• 1

  For information about museum opening hours and display locations, please visit the official Ishikawa Nanao Art Museum website (in Japanese only): https://nanao-art-museum.jp/

• 2

  For more information about “Hito Noto Art,” please see the following notice from the Tokyo National Museum (in Japanese only): https://www.tnm.jp/modules/r_free_page/index.php?id=2689/

• 3

  Kinpeki shouhekiga is one style of wall and sliding screen paintings. This style is characterized by magnificently striking paintings rendered with pigments such as gunjo, rokusho and taisha on wall screens entirely covered with gold leaf foil.