15 Years Since Tsunami Damage, The Bengala Painting of Itsura Rokkakudo Revived - Letter of Appreciation Presented to Saza Coffee President Suzuki for Painting Cost Donation | Ibaraki University
Fifteen years after the tsunami, the Bengala painting of Itsura Rokkakudo was restored through a donation from Saza Coffee, and a letter of appreciation was presented to its president.Summary
Ibaraki University's Itsura Art and Culture Research Institute completed the repainting of the exterior walls of the Rokkakudo hall as part of its 70th-anniversary project, reopening it to the public. The repainting, using traditional Bengala pigment, coincided with the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake (March 11, 2026). The institute invited Taro Suzuki, President of Saza Coffee, whose company donated the painting costs, and Ibaraki University President Hiroyuki Ota presented him with a letter of appreciation. The Rokkakudo, designed by art thinker Okakura Tenshin, incorporates elements of East Asian art. The current structure was rebuilt in 2012 after the original was destroyed by the 2011 tsunami, but its exterior had deteriorated due to salt damage. Saza Coffee's donation came from proceeds of the jointly developed "Itsura Coffee." President Ota expressed gratitude for the collaboration, while Institute Director Naoki Kataguchi stated they decided to repaint to reframe the Rokkakudo as a "symbol toward recovery," hoping it will continue to shine as a "red lighthouse" illuminating the future.
(Source：ibaraki.ac.jp)