Right next to the Mantouya venue, at the Asakura Gallery beside the south entrance of the Restored Townscape in the Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins, an ink painting exhibition titled “The Asakura Clan × Miroku” opens on 2 August and runs until 31 August. Admission is free.
Mantouya, painted in ink
The centrepiece of the exhibition is Wrapped in the Night of Ten Thousand Lanterns, which won the Fukui Prefectural Board of Education Award at the 50th Fukui Prefecture Ink Painting Association Exhibition. It captures the candlelit night of Ichijodani using nothing but shades of black ink.
Seeing the scene our visitors know so well turned into a painting is a real joy for us. We hope you will come and see it for yourself.
Open on the days of Mantouya too
The gallery is open from 9:00 to 17:00. Mantouya itself begins in the evening, so you can see the exhibition during the day and stay on for the lights after dark.
The gallery stands right beside the south entrance of the Restored Townscape, a short walk from the “Fukugen Machinami” stop used by both the Mantouya shuttle bus and the Karamon-go. If you are coming by bus, it is easy to drop in.
Details
| Dates | Sun 2 August – Mon 31 August 2026 |
| Hours | 9:00–17:00 (final day until 12:00) |
| Venue | Asakura Gallery 28-37 Kidonouchi-cho, Fukui City (beside the south entrance of the Restored Townscape) |
| Admission | Free |
| Parking | Free parking available |
| Co-organiser | Asakura Clan Ruins Preservation Association |
| Supported by | Yume Sozo Asuwa Kai / Creative ASUWA |
| Enquiries | Asakura Clan Ruins Preservation Association, 0776-41-2330 |
The exhibition is supported by Yume Sozo Asuwa Kai, the organisation that runs Echizen Asakura Mantouya, together with Creative ASUWA.
About the artist: Miroku Hiratani
Born in Tokyo, Miroku Hiratani has studied calligraphy and ink painting since childhood, and returned to it in earnest in 2023 as a pupil of Hosetsu Morikawa. Since 2025 Hiratani has taught ink painting classes in Fukui and Ishikawa, and works to share the appeal of Echizen washi paper alongside the art of ink painting.