“GI-NO-KOKORO”, literally meaning “the heart of righteousness,” comes from a phrase in The Blue Cliff Record, from the dialogue between The Great Master Bodhidharma and Emperor Bu about the “Primary Principle,” the enlightenment of Buddha.

● Everything that exists in this world changes and moves along.
● Every single thing in this world did not come into being on its own, nor does it exist alone.
● Comfort exists in a mind that does not discriminate, be obsessed, and dwell.

It was Uesugi Kenshin, the warlord of Echigo province, who was deeply moved by this principle. When he built the temple gates for his master Monk Soken’s Rinsenji Temple, he engraved the word “Daiichigi” (The First Principle) on a large plaque and hanged it. Kenshin left the quote ” To me, a righteous mind is the beauty of humans being humans.” After the great earthquake and tsunami, the owner of ABBA Resorts IZU invited a party of 500 from Taiwan and held “The Righteous Mind and Love 20th Annivers ary Meeting” in Niigata Prefecture. The owner was deeply moved by Kenshin’s “Righteous Mind” and Naoe Kanetsugu’s “Love,” both men from Niigata, and took action to revitalize Japan’s sluggish tourism industry. As a token of appreciation, Niigata Prefecture awarded him with a tablet with the engraving “The First Principle.” Thus, the name of the art gallery comes from ABBA Resorts IZU owner’s longing and respect toward Kenshin.