kakemono

In Japanese art, a work of art mounted for hanging. A picture or piece of calligraphy on paper or silk is glued on a paper backing with a silk or brocade frame and different pieces of silk above and below it. At the bottom is a stick of wood around which the scroll can be rolled up for storage; at the top is a lighter slat of wood from which it hangs.

In traditional Japanese houses, one room has a tokonoma, an alcove designed for the display of a kakemono and perhaps a flower arrangement or a piece of pottery. The practice is to change the picture depending on the season. The rolled-up kakemono can be stored in a specially designed box until it is brought out again.