craiyon logo

A detailed illustration of people in traditional Japanese attire in the courtyard of a grand temple or palace complex under a blue sky.

A detailed illustration of people in traditional Japanese attire in the courtyard of a grand temple or palace complex under a blue sky.
Pro

Today as I gazed upon the grandeur of Heian-kyō, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and a tinge of resentment. Life here is filled with splendour, from the majestic palaces to the serene gardens. Yet, as a kuge girl, I am often relegated to watching from the shadows, unable to fully participate in the vibrant life around me. It feels unfair and unjust and that I am unable to be a participant but instead confined to the corners observing. Court life is a constant whirl of ceremonies, celebrations and synchronising our rituals. I watched today as noblemen and women engaged in intricate religious dances, their movements graceful and precise, each step steeped in centuries-old tradition. Poetry competitions, which are a favoured pastime with courtiers, capture the fleeting beauty of nature and the depth of human emotions. The art of words is held in high esteem, (even by the Sohei warrior monks) and I am always inspired by the eloquence displayed by the participants. The courtyard echoed with laughter and cheers today as the young nobles showcased their sporting talents. Kemari, the ancient game of football, is a sight to behold! Players, dressed in vibrant robes, kick a deerskin ball: skillful, coordinated and communal. The aim is to keep it aloft for as long as possible. I watched from a distance, wishing I could join in the carefree camaraderie. Would life be like this for a kuge girl forever? The Bugaku dances performed at court are mesmerising. Dancers adorned in See more

More images like this

Traditional Japanese scene of people playing kemari in a courtyard with cherry blossom trees and historical buildings at sunset.

Pro

Zoom action
A couple in traditional Korean hanbok holding hands in the courtyard of a traditional Korean palace, surrounded by flowers.

Pro

Zoom action
An old man in a red robe stands in a vibrant Japanese garden filled with pink cherry blossoms, next to a wooden sign.

Pro

Zoom action
An illustrative image of a barber in traditional Japanese attire cutting a client's hair in a samurai-style salon.

Pro

Zoom action
A bustling traditional Korean market street scene, with people in hanbok, food stalls, and cherry blossoms overhead.

Pro

Zoom action
An anime-style depiction of a traditional Japanese shrine with a stone well, torii gate, and pink cherry blossoms.

Pro

Zoom action
A vibrant Japanese festival at dusk, with people in kimonos walking through market stalls under cherry blossoms, a pagoda in the background.

Pro

Zoom action
A man in traditional Chinese robes on a palace balcony looks at a golden Buddha statue floating in the night sky over imperial buildings.

Pro

Zoom action
A Japanese man in a traditional kimono writes calligraphy at a wooden table in a room with a view of a cherry blossom garden. Illustrated style.

Pro

Zoom action
A woman in a maroon kimono kneels in a serene Japanese garden with a traditional house and stone lantern.

Pro

Zoom action
A young girl in a pink and white floral hanbok stands in an autumn garden with a red torii gate, a pond with koi fish, and a distant pavilion, in a digital art style.

Pro

Zoom action
Realistic image of a Japanese family in an Edo-period home, mother cooking at irori hearth while children play in the warm, dim light.

Pro

Zoom action
Rainy Japanese street with traditional buildings, bamboo, and a red torii gate, painted illustration.

Pro

Zoom action
Men in traditional Chinese robes stand before a large stone temple with mountains in the background, in a painted style.

Pro

Zoom action
An intense Go player in a kimono sits before a Go board with pieces floating around in a traditional Japanese room.

Pro

Zoom action
Photorealistic Japanese pagoda with red and white tiers, set in a serene garden with pink cherry blossoms, glowing lanterns, and falling petals at dusk.

Pro

Zoom action
A Japanese artist kneels in a traditional room, painting a large narrative scroll depicting people in a village scene. Sunlight streams in.

Pro

Zoom action
A man in traditional Korean hanbok looks at a rat standing on a rock in a blooming cherry blossom garden at dusk. Digital art.

Pro

Zoom action
Anime illustration of a giant Japanese woman crouching in a traditional room with smaller women kneeling around her.

Pro

Zoom action
Four women in traditional kimonos in a Japanese garden with a pond, lanterns, and architecture at sunset. Illustrated.

Pro

Zoom action
Japanese woman in pink kimono in a lush garden with bamboo, stone lantern, and koi pond.

Pro

Zoom action
A traditional Korean garden at sunrise with pavilions, stone paths, bamboo, and falling pink petals.

Pro

Zoom action
A serene Japanese zen garden with a meditating monk under a blooming cherry tree, surrounded by rocks, moss, and a small stream.

Pro

Zoom action
A bald monk in an orange robe sits meditating on a rug in a sunlit Chinese temple, facing multiple golden Buddha statues surrounded by candles and incense.

Pro

Zoom action
An anime-style young monk with black hair and an orange robe stands in a serene Japanese temple garden with pink cherry blossoms and bonsai trees.

Pro

Zoom action
A serene Japanese zen garden with a cherry blossom tree, bamboo, a raked sand path, stepping stones, and a wooden wall with golden panels.

Pro

Zoom action
A samurai kneels in a serene Japanese garden with a red torii gate, bamboo, cherry blossoms, and a temple at sunset, digital painting.

Pro

Zoom action
A vibrant painting of a Japanese festival parade with ornate floats and people in kimonos on a sunny street.

Pro

Zoom action
An older Korean man yells, raising his hand, while a younger Korean man kneels with head bowed in a traditional room.

Pro

Zoom action
A fantastical landscape blending Roman and Chinese architecture, featuring a Coliseum-like structure next to ornate pagodas with red and green roofs, all surrounded by pink cherry blossom trees and lush green gardens under a clear blue sky.

Pro

Zoom action
Two women in traditional Korean hanbok dresses stand by a pond under cherry blossoms and lanterns at sunset in a mountainous landscape.

Pro

Zoom action
A serene Ghibli-style illustration of a Korean landscape with traditional buildings, cherry blossom trees, a pond, and people.

Pro

Zoom action
Monks play lawn bowls in a lush temple garden with cherry blossoms, ivy-covered walls, and a bamboo forest.

Pro

Zoom action
An illuminated Japanese pagoda at night, surrounded by trees, with a torii gate and lantern in the foreground. The sky is dark blue with stars.

Pro

Zoom action
Traditional Korean Hanok palace being reassembled by workers at sunset, with mountains and trees in the background.

Pro

Zoom action
Illustrated scene of women in traditional attire performing a ritual in a Chinese temple courtyard at sunset, with lanterns and offerings.

Pro

Zoom action
A beautiful digital painting of a Japanese landscape featuring temples, a castle on a hill, a red torii gate, and cherry blossoms with people in traditional attire.

Pro

Zoom action
Three guards in traditional attire stand in a grand, ornate Chinese hall with detailed woodwork, lanterns, and large windows looking out to mountains.

Pro

Zoom action
A man in traditional Japanese attire holds a scroll in a bustling market street under blooming cherry blossom trees, with a red torii gate and temple in the background, in a painting style.

Pro

Zoom action
A samurai stands at a shrine with a torii gate and offerings, surrounded by pink cherry blossoms.

Pro

Zoom action
A red Torii gate leads to a traditional Japanese shrine in a sunlit forest with golden autumn leaves.

Pro

Zoom action
A vibrant Japanese street festival at night, with people in kimonos, glowing lanterns, and pampas grass under a large full moon.

Pro

Zoom action
A vibrant illustration of a traditional Joseon era Korean port at sunset, with ships, wooden buildings, and people bustling along the docks.

Pro

Zoom action
Illustration of several people in an outdoor Japanese onsen, with steam rising from the water and lush trees in the background.

Pro

Zoom action
Two women in kimonos share tea in a traditional Japanese room overlooking a cherry blossom garden.

Pro

Zoom action
A scenic view of a traditional Japanese pagoda with a pathway lined by vibrant pink cherry blossom trees, a person walks towards the building.

Pro

Zoom action
An illustration of a bustling Joseon era Korean city street lined with traditional tiled-roof buildings, featuring people in period clothing, market stalls, and cherry blossoms with hanging lanterns overhead.

Pro

Zoom action
An anime-style image of a Japanese schoolgirl and her elderly male tutor sitting on tatami mats at a low table with tea and calligraphy supplies.

Pro

Zoom action
A serene landscape with a red Chinese pagoda, blooming cherry trees, and a grand French manor house viewed through an ornate red gate.

Pro

Zoom action
A grand red ancient Asian tiered building with soldiers standing guard, surrounded by pink cherry blossom trees and mountains.

Pro

Zoom action
An anime illustration of an old monk and a young boy sitting on a bench under cherry blossoms in a Japanese temple garden.

Pro

Zoom action
Panoramic view of traditional Korean temples with ornate green roofs and red pillars, surrounded by pink cherry blossoms and lush trees under a sunset sky.

Pro

Zoom action
A majestic multi-tiered pagoda stands by a serene lake with misty mountains and pink cherry blossoms at sunset, in an art style.

Pro

Zoom action
Vibrant traditional Japanese townscape with cherry blossoms, temples, market, people in kimonos, and kites flying at sunset.

Pro

Zoom action
A watercolor painting of traditional Korean buildings, a well, and people in hanbok under cherry blossoms.

Pro

Zoom action
A person in a loose robe stands looking out at a serene Japanese zen garden with raked sand and moss islands.

Pro

Zoom action
A Japanese man in a black kimono bows respectfully in a serene cherry blossom garden.

Pro

Zoom action
A young man in traditional Chinese imperial robes on a balcony overlooks a palace garden with pagodas at sunset, digital painting.

Pro

Zoom action
An ancient Chinese palace complex with ornate red and gold buildings, cherry blossom trees, and many people in blue traditional attire in a large courtyard, under a blue sky with mountains in the background.

Pro

Zoom action
An illustration of a vibrant ninja village with traditional Japanese buildings, cherry blossom trees, ponds, and ninjas.

Pro

Zoom action
A vibrant Japanese street scene lined with traditional buildings, cherry blossom trees, people in kimonos, and a rickshaw.

Pro

Zoom action
A Buddhist monk kneels before a large, imposing statue in a dimly lit Japanese temple at night, moonlight streaming through the windows.

Pro

Zoom action
A woman in a red and gold traditional Korean dress stands in an archway, looking out at a moonlit landscape with mountains and a temple.

Pro

Zoom action
A traditional Japanese home with a central courtyard garden, featuring a raked sand area with a koi design, green shrubs, and stepping stones.

Pro

Zoom action
A traditional Japanese street scene at night, illuminated by many glowing lanterns. People in kimonos gather along a cobblestone path.

Pro

Zoom action
Illustrated Japanese street scene at sunset with a multi-level wooden pagoda, cobblestone path, two people, and glowing lanterns.

Pro

Zoom action
A young sumo wrestler stands in a traditional dohyo ring, surrounded by a wooden arena and spectators.

Pro

Zoom action
A vibrant Japanese-style temple with red tiered roofs, green eaves, and white cherry blossoms in a courtyard with fallen petals.

Pro

Zoom action
A Chinese Emperor watches a giant golden Buddha float above an imperial palace under a starry night sky, with cherry blossoms and mountains.

Pro

Zoom action
A sunny, traditional Korean village alley with hanok buildings, cherry blossoms, two children, and an elderly woman selling goods.

Pro

Zoom action
A stone Japanese city with pagodas, a torii gate, and bridges, lined with pink cherry blossom trees under a bright sky.

Pro

Zoom action
An illustration of a man in traditional blue Korean hanbok and a black hat standing in a mountainous landscape with a river and cherry blossoms.

Pro

Zoom action