In April 2003, my antique shop opened in Teramachi Street in Kyoto.At the moment, we are handling antique pictures and calligraphies mounted as hanging scrolls. I am especially interested in calligraphies such as waka, haiga, letters and Chinese-style poems, mainly from the Edo period.A deeper understanding is possible if you could read their contents, but even if I can’t read them fully I can still be touched by the beauty of the ink characters. Scroll mountings are also important, beautiful old mountings suit the qualities of old calligraphies and paintings. In many works we can see an interesting relationship between poetry and the painting. The interaction between the text and image often reveals interesting anecdotes that allow us to imagine the lifestyle and attitudes of the past. At my shop, we have many scrolls that show the passage of time, but these imperfections were often appreciated for the sense of history they provide.The scroll is flat when hung and fits into a slim wooden box when rolled up, yet this small format displays a rich and interesting world.I have been able to maintain this shop due to the support of many customers who appreciate the qualities of these older art forms.This shop will continue to introduce interesting artists and the beautiful works of art they created.