[Career]
In 1914, at the age of 18, Saichi met Takeshiro Kanokogi
(painter, director of the Kansai Art Institute,
and a key member of the Bunten Exhibition),
who visited Yamaga for a sketching trip.
He recognized Saichi's talent and they formed
a master-disciple relationship. At the age of 28,
he traveled to China, touring Shanghai, Suzhou,
Hangzhou, and other places, honing his painting
skills. In 1926, at the age of 30, he was commissioned
by Meiji Shrine to create the painting
"Hoten Nyujo-zu (奉天入城図, Entry into Mukden).
" Together with his master Kanokogi, he conducted
research in Fengtian, Manchuria. At the age of 32,
he became an assistant professor and secretary of
the Kanokogi School, and at the same time he became
a professor at Osaka Kanagogi Academy. At the age of 39, upon Kanokogi's recommendation, he traveled to Europe and focused on sketching landscapes, mainly in Paris. During this time, his talent was recognized by Alberto Giacometti (Swiss sculptor and painter). Through Giacometti's recommendation, he was nominated as the first Japanese member of the Salon des Tuileries in France. Subsequently, he traveled through Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and other countries, further refining his skills. At the age of 40, he returned to Japan from Europe and established himself as an independent painter. Despite recommendations from colleagues to move to Tokyo and invitations to join the mainstream art scene, he chose to return to Yamaga. He deeply loved nature, seeking to grasp its beauty by gazing at it and attempting to express the beauty of nature by placing himself in a state of unity with the divine. He never sought fame in Japanese art circles or settled for minor achievements. In 1940, he built a studio (atelier) in Yamaga, naming it "則神居, Soku-shin-kyo" and adopting it as his pseudonym. In 1941, his master, Takeshiro Kanokogi, passed away at the age of 66. Despite his outstanding skills, Saichi lived a modest life without widespread recognition, and on February 10, 1983, at the age of 87, he passed away peacefully at his home in Yamaga Ayabe, surrounded by his family, wearing a gentle smile.