Tarot by Shuji Terayama and Shigeo Otake

Tarot by Shuji Terayama and Shigeo Otake (Hardback Art Book 2005)

Found this beautiful book by mistake on my way home - well, I say by mistake; I was looking through the tarot section, but didn't expect to find an art book.

It is hardback and beautifully presented. It shows all paintings of the major arcana.

Here is the book
http://www.hoepli.it/item.asp?ty=&id=18304&pc=000013001006012

The pictures can be seen here
http://web.kyoto-inet.or.jp/people/ignatius/pages3/FrameSet8.htm

Anyone else have this in their collection? Never seen or heard of it before.

LB

What a wonderful find. I have never seen these cards! They are like a combination of the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch and Sir Stanley Spencer. (there was 440 years between their lives) I just love them- but found some a little macabre. I would love a deck!! Thanks for posting them. I have attached a painting by Spencer of St Francis of Assisi.~Rosanne

"Attack of the Mushroom Planet!"

Actually, Tarot Garden does list it as "Kinoko Tarot Art Book" and the pictures made wild associations in my head with a period movie monster....the coincidence is the name Shuji Teryama was a film-maker, but not the wacky association I made below!

Thanks for the website look...and I may have to refresh my memories of period Japanese flicks....

Chuckling at my sillyness...


Cerulean...
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My original note (totally wrong!)

I'm not certain, but I think you hit on a very interesting "cinematic" find...it might be a tribute to a kind of film noir period that followed WWII Japanese cinema where you would have cheesy or strange monsters evolving from...you guessed it, radiation...I think Shuji Terayama was a film-maker responsible for period films that included "Attack of the Mushroom People" or "Attack of the Mushroom Planet"...I just remember a friend who loved old Japanese cinema who used to tell me about such titles...

Will let you know...

Cerulean

Those are wonderful images, love the mushroom-inspired themes! Synchronistically, I'm currently reading "The Food of the Gods" by Terence McKenna where he expounds the theory that mushrooms played a key role in the early evolution of human consciousness. Thanks for posting this, LittleBuddha!

a bit of infos

Terayama Shuji (1935-1983) Playwright, poet, and film maker. One of the foremost artistic opinion leaders of 70's Japan. His interests in Tarot was first shown in 1974 when he wrote an essay for an original Tarot co-authored by him and Usuki Nanami an illustrator. Only fifty decks of Terayama-Usuki Tarot were produced and given to their friends and acquintances -- now a very rare item highy sought after by Japanese tarot fans and Terayama fans. The essay is the one we read in Otake's Kinoko Tarot Book.

Otake Shigeo (1955-) painter, illustrator, speciallist in book decoration and picture book. Somehow fascnated by Tarot and mushrooms, Otake combined both into Kinoko Tarot (1995).

Attack of the Mushroom People (1963) Original Japanese title "Matango". One of the classics of Toho Monster Movie. Based on the short story of W.H.Hodgeson, Matango depitcts how people eat forbidden mushroom and turn into mushroom itself. Very Scary.

I believe Otake's Kinoko Tarot is one of the most fascinating Tarot Cards Japan ever produced.

You can see an excellent web site with Otake's tarot images and other paintings on

http://web.kyoto-inet.or.jp/people/ignatius/index.htm

Just got my copy of the Kinoko Tarot book today and discovered this old thread. (The book's lovely, BTW - I knew from seeing the pics on the web what the art was like, but am really delighted by how beautifully the book is designed and printed.)

Anyway, I was wondering if it was ever actually available in card form. The second link in Little Baron's post at the top of the thread (to Otake's website) shows what appears to be an actual deck. But I haven't been able to find any other reference to it. Anyone know?

Roppo answered your question in his post, I think...

Roppo wrote:

"Only fifty decks of Terayama-Usuki Tarot were produced and given to their friends and acquintances -- now a very rare item highy sought after by Japanese tarot fans and Terayama fans. The essay is the one we read in Otake's Kinoko Tarot Book."

I hope that was what you were asking!

Edited to add: Oh I see now, you are asking about Otake's paintings and the prop deck of cards that appear on the website with orange plaid backs...you are hoping that Otake's paintings were released as cards...sorry for the misreading..

Other than that, I do not know anything else but what has been posted above.

Sounds like you are enjoying the artwork of a charming book! Sometimes I find a rare item tarotwise that I like, but not much has ever been posted...I hope you find more information from others in your revival of this thread.

Best wishes,

Cerulean

Thanks, Cerulean. But unless I'm misunderstanding roppo's message (always a possibility), those 50 decks were of the tarot that Terayama co-created with Usuki Nanami in 1974. The essay he wrote for that tarot was then reprinted as the introduction to Otake's tarot book. At least that's what I think he said.

ahclem said:

But unless I'm misunderstanding roppo's message (always a possibility), those 50 decks were of the tarot that Terayama co-created with Usuki Nanami in 1974.

Click to expand...

Yes, that is my understanding. I can't remember ever seeing any
examples of that 1974 tarot. It must be amongst the earliest of Japanese tarots.