Takabatake Salon and Its Role in Shaping Nara’s Cultural Revival
Naoya Shiga’s Takabatake Salon and the Literary Roots of Modern Nara
In this article, I will introduce the “Takabatake Salon,” which played a key role in shaping modern culture in Nara—a city visited by countless tourists every year.
Nara was once the political center of ancient Japan. It was here that important aspects of the country’s history took root, including the introduction of Buddhism via China and Korea, the development of written culture, and the emergence of Japan’s early legal system under the Ritsuryō codes. Over the centuries, Nara has nurtured a diverse cultural legacy.
Today, the city’s tourism heavily focuses on its ancient heritage. However, there was once a salon in Nara that gave rise to a modern cultural movement. This salon began with a single individual’s decision to move to Nara: the novelist Naoya Shiga (1883–1971), known for works such as A Dark Night’s Passing.
By 1925, Shiga was already well-known as a writer and counted among the most prominent cultural figures of his day. That year, he suddenly decided to relocate to Nara. He chose Takabatake—an area on the outskirts of the city center—to settle in.
Historically, Takabatake was home to monks and Shintō priests from Tōdai-ji Temple and Kasuga Grand Shrine, so the neighborhood was scarcely developed and considered remote.
Shiga was enamored by the view of Wakakusa Mountain from Takabatake, so he personally designed a house and began living there in 1929. This drew attention to Takabatake, which had previously had little cultural footprint.
Before long, a cultural community sprang up around Shiga, attracting visitors from far and wide. People began calling it the “Takabatake Salon.”
Many prominent cultural figures frequented this salon, including the writers Saneatsu Mushanokōji and Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, the critic Hideo Kobayashi, and Sōetsu Yanagi, founder of the Mingei (folk craft) Movement.Their example also inspired a new generation of young artists.
As more people came to live around Shiga’s home, Takabatake grew more lively. Sensing this change, Shiga left Nara in 1938 and moved to Tokyo. With his departure, it seemed the Takabatake Salon might fade away. Yet a movement arose to carry on his vision and further develop culture in Nara.
Leading this charge was a young priest named Kaiun Kamitsukasa(1906–1975), a close acquaintance of Shiga who would later become the Bettō (head administrator) of Tōdai-ji Temple.
Kaiun started a new salon at Kannon-in, a sub-temple of Tōdai-ji, carrying on the spirit of Shiga’s endeavors. Known as the “Kannon-in Salon,” this space, too, welcomed many visitors and nurtured another rising generation of artists.
Most of the culture born from these salons has dwindled over time. Yet the creative soil they cultivated continues to leave a curious echo in Takabatake. Exploring these locations can offer a fresh perspective on travel in Nara, revealing layers of history that go beyond the ancient sites.