This shikishi artwork titled “春風 (Shunpū / Spring Breeze)” is a dynamic ink painting by Sato Ikko 佐藤一耕, who was also known by his pen name Zaundō. Rendered with a few confident, flowing brushstrokes, the horse appears to leap forward lightly, its mane and tail dissolving into the movement of air itself. The composition is spare yet powerful, allowing the surrounding white space to evoke the invisible presence of the spring wind suggested by the title.
The calligraphy 春風 literally means “spring wind” or “spring breeze,” a poetic expression often associated in Zen with renewal, vitality, and the quiet energy of new beginnings. Rather than depicting wind directly, the artist lets the horse embody it—free, unrestrained, and alive with motion.
Sato Ikko was a Rinzai Zen priest and artist, served as chief priest of Nanshūji Temple on Mount Ryūkō. Ordained at a young age, he underwent many years of rigorous monastic training within the Myōshinji and Nanshū lineages before assuming his role as abbot. His Zen background is clearly reflected in this work: the brushwork is economical, expressive, and deeply attuned to the spirit rather than the surface of the subject.
This shikishi is not merely an image of a horse, but a visual meditation on freedom, seasonal change, and the quiet strength carried by the spring wind—an embodiment of Zen thought captured in ink.
