Vintage Japanese Kakemono Scroll Hotei Laughing Buddha Ink Painting Calligraphy

The Verse
妻子無老死 / 一世不知貧 ("Saishi mu rōshi / Issei fuchi hin") — "With no wife or children, he is untroubled by old age and death; through his whole life, he never knows poverty." This is a classical Hotei-san (布袋讃), a devotional verse traditionally paired with paintings of Hotei, praising his carefree detachment from worldly ties. Free of family burdens and the sorrows of watching loved ones age, and rich in spirit rather than possessions, Hotei embodies the Zen ideal of contentment (知足, chisoku) — true abundance found not in material wealth, but in a heart that wants for nothing.

Who is Hotei
Hotei (布袋, "Cloth Sack") is one of Japan's Seven Lucky Gods (七福神, Shichifukujin) and among the most recognizable figures in Japanese folk art — widely known in the West as the "Laughing Buddha." Traditionally depicted as a rotund, jovial wandering monk carrying a large cloth sack said to hold endless treasures, he is a symbol of abundance, contentment, and good fortune. Here he is painted reclining at ease, his sack tucked beside him, embodying exactly the carefree spirit described in the accompanying verse.

Dedication & Artist
The inscription 應需玉木居常海 ("Ōju, Tamaki-kyo, Jōkai") translates as "Painted at request, for Tamaki-kyo, by Jōkai." 應需 (ōju) indicates the work was created in response to a specific commission; 玉木居 (Tamaki-kyo) names the teahouse, villa, or retreat for which it was made; and 常海 (Jōkai) is the Buddhist name of the monk-artist who painted and inscribed it.

Seals
An auspicious seal in the upper right reads 延年益壽 ("Ennen ekiju") — "may your years lengthen and your longevity increase," a traditional blessing seal wishing the recipient long life. Two seals in the lower left record the artist's family name 水田氏印 (Mizuta-shi in, "seal of the Mizuta family") and his personal Buddhist name 常海 (Jōkai), together authenticating the painting as an original.

Condition & Presentation
Ink painting with calligraphy on paper.