Nobutaka Oka, born in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture in 1932, is a Japanese painter of Nihonga. His grandfather was Ryūshi Kawabata, a master of modern Japanese painting, under whom Oka entered the Seiryū-sha (Blue Dragon Society) and began his path as a painter. After Kawabata’s death, Oka became independent of any organization, but he has continued to be active by energetically holding solo and group exhibitions.

In recent years, he has returned to the fundamental expressions of Nihonga, devoting himself to the creation of hanging scrolls and saibokuga (color ink paintings), further broadening his scope of expression. In addition to his work as a painter, he is also engaged in teaching and mentoring younger generations. His representative works include the ceiling paintings at Zenkoji Daikanjin Temple and the fusuma and ceiling paintings at Zojoji Temple’s Kosshoden Hall. He has also donated 80 kagura masks to the British Museum.

Oka’s style is based on classical techniques of Nihonga, respecting tradition while incorporating a contemporary sensibility in pursuit of his own form of expression. Centering on kachōga (bird-and-flower paintings), he is highly regarded for his vibrant depictions of life and delicate brushwork. He particularly excels in color-ink expressions that capture the essence of nature and the seasons, producing numerous large-scale works such as hanging scrolls and fusuma paintings. His ceiling works at Zenkoji Daikanjin and Zojoji Temple are notable examples, demonstrating how he has inherited tradition while building a unique artistic world.

The Seiryū-sha Research Institute was an institution for training young Japanese painters, founded by Nihonga artist Ryūshi Kawabata. It was part of the art association “Seiryū-sha,” which Kawabata led, and was established in 1928 under the guiding principle of “creating large-scale paintings full of life.” Oka entered the institute in 1950 and, in 1961, was promoted to shajin (full member) of Seiryū-sha. He remained an official member until the society dissolved in 1966 after Kawabata’s death. Even afterward, many young painters and disciples gathered around Oka, to whom he provided instruction in technique and expression.