This painting of carps was born from my experience of visiting shrines from Kyoto and Nara. I was fascinated by the carps in the Gourd Pond of Toji Temple, in Kyoto. Because watergrass and fallen leaves are floating in the pond, it allows you to see the carps swimming in a very quiet and slow motion. I felt that this sight was suitable to be expressed using Japanese painting techniques. As i was painting these carps, I became very calm and my heart felts cleansed. I hope that this painting will also help the viewer’s mind to become quiet by being absorbed by the silent movement of their swimming motion.