Arashino Shusui, Kano, 'The essential pictures of Kano School'.

The Kanō School of Painting (狩野派, Kanō-ha) is one of Japan’s most renowned painting traditions, dominating Japanese art from the late 15th century until the Meiji period (1868). Founded by the Kanō family, the school produced generations of distinguished artists and numerous disciples trained in its workshops. The Kanō school developed a distinct Japanese style characterized by bold outlines and vibrant colors, often used to decorate castles and residences of the nobility. Supported by the shogunate, it became the official artistic style of its time, shaping the visual culture of the samurai elite. While rooted in the Chinese literati tradition, Kanō painters were professional artists trained in formal workshops, similar to European Renaissance masters. Their works ranged from large decorative panels to refined monochrome ink paintings, marking a lasting legacy in Japanese art history.