Japanese Art Prints

The peacock is a symbol of beauty, prosperity, love, compassion and piece. The blooming of cherry blossoms remind us to fully enjoy and cherish eve...

The heron is appreciated as an auspicious symbol in many cultures. In China, the heron symbolises strength, purity, patience and long life.

The virtues attributed to the rooster include courage and honour. The rooster cries were also believed to be effective in warding off evil spirits ...

According to Japanese folklore, the carrion crow was thought to be a messenger of the gods. Crows are known for their intelligence, and are associa...

The snow scene is by the Japanese woodblock print master, Utagawa Hiroshige. A snowscape offers a hint of new beginnings - whether it be a plum blo...

Oil paper umbrellas originated in China and spread across the Far East. Since the umbrella opens into a full round shape, they represent happiness ...

Pictures of Beautiful Women was a series of prints which sought to represent the individuality of women. Titled as the “fickle type”, the beauty is...

In this scene, Hokusai depicts the ghost of the servant Okiku rising from a well. Falsely accused and thrown to her death, she returns nightly to c...

The crane has long been seen as a symbol of longevity and good fortune as it was thought to have a life span of a thousand years. Cranes are also m...

The movement of water contrasted against the solid rocks symbolizes yin and yang- the harmony of life. The drops of water are renewed each second, ...

Hokusai wrote “...when I reach 80 years, I hope to have made increasing progress, and at 90 to see further into the underlying principles of things...

During his final years, Hokusai was in dire financial straits and was invited to move to Obuse by his benefactor. One work was a commission to pain...

The snow symbolises cleansing, creating a blanket that can be a new, clean beginning. Hiroshige, considered to be one of the greatest 19th century ...

Nihonbashi is now a business district in Tokyo and the stone bridge built in 1911 still stands at the same site today. These various wooden bridges...

The blooming of cherry blossoms is a symbol of purity. Their spectacular bloom is enjoyed by many, but for a short period of time every year, remin...

Portrait of samurai Saito Toshimitsu, who was the general in the army of Akechi Mitsuhide, depicted here in full armour on horseback.

Elegant restaurants (pictured north of the bridge) traditionally co-sponsored the major firework displays at the site, together with the boathouses...

The iris is associated with faith, hope, valour and wisdom, believed in Japan to be a symbol that purifies evil energies whilst offering protection.

The carrion crow is native to Japan. According to the Japanese folk belief it was thought to be a messenger of the gods. The crow is also associate...

The virtues attributed to the rooster include courage and honour. The rooster cries were also believed to be effective in warding off evil spirits ...

This design from One-hundred Aspects of the Moon shows Benkei praying to calm the seas at Daimotsu bay. Yoshitoshi transforms a famous episode from...

Chikanobu’s composition transforms courtly elegance into quiet heroism, presenting women as vigilant protectors. The interplay of fire and composur...

This print belongs to the series Famous Views of the Sixty-odd Provinces. Urami means “see-from-behind”, because visitors could traditionally walk ...

The warrior Oya Taro Mitsukuni comes to the ruined Sōma Palace to vanquish Princess Takiyasha-hime. Daughter of a defeated rebel, she conjures a te...

The hannya mask in Japanese Noh theatre represents a jealous and rageful demon. In this dramatic image, Hokusai alludes to the Buddhist tale of Kis...

Blooming during the summer months, the lotus flower rises clean and beautiful from the muddy water in which it grows, symbolising purity and renewal.

Cherry blossom viewing, known as hanami, is a long-standing Japanese tradition. The blossoms bloom beautifully for only a short period each spring ...

Waves are one of the most recognisable motifs in Japanese art and design. This 20th century depiction puts emphasis on the calm and repetitive natu...

This tranquil autumn woodland scene captures the vibrant colours of the Japanese maple season. In Japan, the changing leaves are celebrated during ...

There are numerous editions of the iconic Great Wave. From the British Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Art Institute of Chicag...

The fierce figure shown is Minamoto no Yoshihira, nicknamed “Akugenta” (Wicked Genji), a warrior famed for both bravery and ferocity. According to ...

From the kabuki drama The Okazaki Cat Demon, this scene depicts the menace of the bakeneko, a supernatural cat said to gain uncanny powers. As it e...

Yugao is a tragic figure from The Tale of Genji, often called the world’s first novel, written in the 11th century by female novelist Murasaki Shik...

The warrior shown is Takagi Umanosuke, a hero from Kuniyoshi’s illustrated adaptations of the Chinese epic Suikoden (Shuihu zhuan). As he undertake...

From the Tongue-cut Sparrow tale, a wicked old woman takes home a heavy box, expecting it to be filled with treasure. Instead, she is greeted by a ...

Depicted is the celebrated Kabuki actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV in the role of Kasane, the ghost of a woman murdered by her lover who returns to curse ...