The emaki of Japan in the middle ages consists of scenes to be contemplated with the development from the sight to the left, so it has three characteristics in expression as follows. First, the look of the emaki is regulated in length by that of paper space on which it is painted, and consequently, scenes develop into a horizontal direction. Second, the emaki is unfolded necessarily from the right to the left when contemplated, so the events are arranged from the right to the left both in time and space. Third, the emaki is destined to continue developing infinitely to the left, that is, the look of the emaki is open to the left direction. The nenju-gyoji emaki (composed in about 1170, I estimate) has, however, remarkably different character as the emaki though it takes the form of emaki. It contradicts in many points with such characteristics in expression of the emaki as referred to. I point out those contradictory points and set forth my opinion about the reason.
