u/MieGalleryPrints

Two separate Japanese woodblock prints come together to create this dramatic diptych from Kunisada’s Flowers of Edo (Edo no Hana) series.

The prints depict kabuki actors Ichikawa Danjūrō VII as Yokoyama no Yosaburō and Nakamura Tsuruzō I as “Yasu the Bat.” Between them, evening fireworks explode above the famous Ryōgoku Bridge in Edo.

Kunisada designed the dramatic actor portraits, while Hiroshige II created the landscape — a wonderful example of the collaborative nature of ukiyo-e.

The Flowers of Edo series combined famous kabuki actors, districts of Edo, firefighting brigades, and local landmarks into one of the more unusual print series of the late Edo period.

#JapaneseWoodblockPrints #Kunisada #Hiroshige #Ukiyoe #Kabuki #JapaneseArt #EdoPeriod

Torii Kotondo’s Combing Her Hair (Kami tsuki) was originally published in 1933 in an edition of just 100 impressions, after which the original woodblocks were destroyed.

The print depicts a young woman quietly combing her long black hair, dressed in a gray kimono decorated with delicate pink flowers. The fine carving of the individual strands of hair and the deep blue bokashi background are wonderful examples of the craftsmanship found in Shin-hanga prints.

The example shown here comes from a later limited set produced from newly carved woodblocks in the 1980s.

This elegant print by the artist Utagawa Kunisada depicts the kabuki actor Nakamura Shikan IV in the role of Heitarō Yoshikado. It comes from an 1859 series called Mirrors for Collage Pictures in the Modern Style.

Kunisada created several series featuring actors reflected in mirrors, and I think they're among his most inventive designs. Here, the actor's portrait appears inside a beautifully lacquered black, oval mirror, the edges of the mirror are wrapped in patterned fabric. In the background we see delicate confetti-like decoration and a poem written by the actor himself.

The craftsmanship is wonderful. Look closely and you'll notice the incredibly fine lines in the hair and the embossing on the white collar.

This print by Japanese artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi comes from one of his most famous series, Stories of the True Loyalty of the Faithful Samurai, depicting the legendary Forty-seven Ronin.

The story of the Forty-seven Ronin is one of Japan's best-known tales of loyalty. After their lord was forced to commit suicide, the 47 masterless samurai patiently waited and plotted their revenge. Once they had avenged him, they surrendered themselves to the authorities and were ordered to commit seppuku. 

This lively print by the artist Shōsai Ikkei comes from his 1871 series Forty-eight Famous Views of Tokyo, which documents the city during the early years of the Meiji period.

The scene shows crowds gathering shellfish at Susaki, a popular seaside destination where people would wade out onto the tidal flats at low tide to collect clams and other seafood. It was a favorite seasonal pastime for the people of Edo.

A rainy night, a glowing noodle stand, and one of my favorite modern Japanese woodblock prints.

Tomikichiro Tokuriki's Noodle Shop on a Rainy Night (1951) beautifully captures the quiet atmosphere of a traditional yatai street food stall. Even more fascinating, the print exists in two versions—one with customers wearing traditional kimono for the Japanese market, and another with Western clothing for export.

#JapaneseArt #WoodblockPrint #Ukiyoe #ShinHanga #SosakuHanga #TomikichiroTokuriki #JapaneseCulture #Japan #Yatai #StreetFood

This is a reprint of one of the most famous Japanese prints ever designed by the mysterious artist Toshusai Sharaku. The original, created in 1794, sold at a Christie's auction for $277,000.

The print shows the kabuki actor Ichikawa Komazō III playing the villain Shiga Daishichi in the play A Medley of Tales of Revenge. The story follows two sisters seeking revenge for the murder of their father. Here, Sharaku captures the tense moment just before Daishichi draws his sword to commit that murder.

This striking kabuki actor print by Toyohara Kunichika comes from his celebrated series One Hundred Roles of Baiko. The dramatic portrait depicts Igami no Gonta, one of the most memorable tragic characters in Japanese theatre, complete with a luxurious mica background.

#Kunichika #Kabuki #UkiyoE #WoodblockPrint #Theatre #JapanesePrints

A beautiful woodblock print by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi from his 1878 series Specialties of Restaurants in the Imperial City. This elegant scene captures a quiet moment inside one of Meiji-era Tokyo's famous restaurants and includes one of my favourite details—a cat-shaped title cartouche.