Sketching in Europe. At the age of 32, Hirayama Ikuo was sponsored by the first UNESCO scholarship and went to Rome alone for study. Since November 1962, he spent six months travelling from Italy to France, Britain, the Netherlands and Germany, and painting all the way along; when recalling this trip, Ikuo said,"If possible, I would like to paint a sketch of my trip to Europe, so I set out with the preparation of washi. Every day I go to monasteries and galleries, and I also have time to paint scenery. The most effective way to use time is to draw a picture while arranging the sketches in the daytime at night.Once in a small town, a passer-by, was the owner of a gallery, noticed that I was sketching. He wanted to purchase my sketches on washi and advised me to hold a sketch exhibition. I found it quite interesting that a man said those words with a little-known painter. Probably because of painting, I can travel safely around Europe without even knowing the direction. From ancient times to the Renaissance and then to modern times, I learned a lot from European culture. It was a fruitful journey. This is a commemorative travel diary.