Kamitsukasa Kaiun (1906-1975)
上司海雲

Kamitsukasa Kaiun was born on February 15th, 1906 in the city of Nara into the highly cultured family of the well-known novellist Kamitsukasa Shoken (1847-1947). During his adolescence, he was an active member of the Nara art scene, together with the writers Naoya Shiga (1883-1971) and Takashi Hata, the painter Kenkichi Sugimoto (1905-2004), and the photographer Irie Taikichi (1905-1992). In 1930, after graduating from Rukoku University, where he studied English literature, he joined the army for one year as a volunteer. In 1939 he was accepted into Todai-ji temple as a monk. Towards the end of the Pacific War he was re-called and sent to fight in Korea. Upon his return to Nara, he was appointed Director of the Todai-ji School. Later, he became Head of Religious Affairs and Head Priest. In 1972 he was named the 206th Abbot of Todai-ji. Kaiun died from cancer on January 25th, 1975.

References:
Exhibition Catalogue, Tokyo 1974: Kamitsukasa Kaiun Ink Traces Exhibition (上司海雲墨蹟展), Mitsukoshi Art Gallery (August 13th-18th)