Hon’ami Koho: Bridging Tradition and Innovation in the Heart of Kyoto Hon’ami Koho (本阿弥 光甫, 1558 – February 27, 1637) stands as a pivotal figure in Japanese art history, a master who seamlessly blended the established traditions of the Rinpa school with his own innovative spirit. Born into a family steeped in the esteemed profession of sword appraisal—a role that connected directly to the powerful Tokugawa shogunate—Koho’s life was on…