The Tosa family was another prominent family specializing in painting during in the late medieval period. Tosa painters produced illustrations of The Tale of Genji scrolls, folding screens, booklets, fans, and mats. By far the most famous work they produced is an album of illustrations accompanied by inscriptions by calligraphers entitled Genji-e , done by Mitsunori and now in the possession of the Tokugawa museum. Continuities with the Kano school are evident in the use of gold backgrounds and bright colors and the painstaking detail work. In contrast to the generic faces of the Genji Picture Scroll , Mitsunori's faces are more realistic and allow for more individuality in depicting character.
Tradition has it that the detail work was actually done with the aid of a magnifying glass.
The paintings are marvels of delicacy made to appeal to the culture of connoisseurship of early Edo. The albums created by artists such as Tosa Mitsunori were so expensive that only the very wealthy could afford them. Published in ten volumes in 1672, this album includes summaries of important incidents from the tale, along with 65 illustrations. Rippo studied painting under a member of the Kano school and also classical poetry. He intended his album for young people.