Japanese Art Prints

Said to have been painted by Getsuju at a drinking party. The text narrates two men arguing about life. One man reveals himself as an old mouse wi...

Mount Fuji has been throughout history one of the biggest inspirations for Japanese artists. One of the most commonly accepted origins of the name ...

The way cats wash their faces licking their paws and wiping their face - it is as if they are inviting good luck beckoning with their paw. Cats wit...

In China, the heron represents strength, purity, patience and long life. In other cultures, the heron carries positive symbolisms, from representin...

The eagle symbolises leadership with its sharp wit and focused eyesight. Flying high with powerful vision and intelligence, it is also a symbol of ...

One kind word,*can warm three winter months.**Japanese proverb.

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...

While scholars debate the origin of the sacred mountain’s name “fuji”, one of the most commonly accepted is that the name sounds similar to “everla...

This wooden bridge spanning the Sagami River is one of the three unusual bridges of Japan and still can be crossed today. Hiroshige is considered t...

Kyobashi is a neighbourhood east of Tokyo Station - one of the city’s oldest commercial districts. Its name comes from the bridge, depicted in this...

The eagle symbolises leadership with its sharp wit and focused eyesight. Flying high with powerful vision and intelligence, it is also a symbol of ...

A female beauty portrait by one of the most highly revered woodblock print master Utamaro (c.1753 - 1806). In Japanese culture, the mirror represen...

The world’s first full-length novel is said to be the Tale of Genji written by the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu around 1000 A.D, who served...

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

Odate and Umegatani Totaro I were sumo wrestlers of the Meiji era who likely competed against each other. Umegatani, a dominant force, achieved Yok...

Hochu Nakamura (active 1790 - 1819), a Rinpa school Japanese painter from the middle to late Edo period, was mainly active in the Osaka region of J...

The beauty in the print is the appearance of a virgin from the Kansei era (1789-1801), showing her affection to her pet cat, she is depicted with h...

The different coloured strings stand for the five elements (earth, wind, fire, void, and water) and forces according to Buddhist tradition. It is t...

As it was thought to live for a thousand years, the crane is the ultimate symbol of longevity in Japan. Here, it is paired with the enduring and ev...

Due to their nocturnal life, bats stand for protection and rebirth. Meanwhile, the spider web represents resilience and hard work.

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 passing of time and life is represented through flowers of all seasons, with their auspiciousness they guaranteed the wearer’s good fortune.

The way cats wash their faces licking their paws and wiping their face - it is as if they are inviting good luck beckoning with their paw. Cats wit...

Two of the most regal and auspicious plants in Japanese thought. The paulownia is dubbed “Tree of Life” in Japan and the chrysanthemum is considere...

The peony ranks as one of the most popular flowers in the world. Referred as the king of flowers in China, it is a flower that symbolises wealth, p...

Japanese camellia, or tsubaki in Japanese, is one of the best known species of the genus Camellia. The flower represents affection, and in Victoria...

The Japanese word for the highest ranked courtesan is “oiran”. It is debated how this name came about, but one theory comes from how the girls work...

The first time that dragons appeared in Japanese text dates back to 680 AD. Dragons in Asia are regarded as generous, benevolent forces that use t...

The cockatoo is symbolic of self-acceptance and love, as well as healthy communication with those around us. It also represents change, especially ...

In Japanese folklore, portrayed with intelligence and paranormal abilities, the 'kitsune' fox are capable of taking human form, sometimes to trick ...

Hasui Kawase was one of most prominent print designers of the shin-hanga (new prints) movement. Unlike his contemporaries he preferred to depict le...

The Japanese associate koi carps with perseverance in adversity, strength of purpose and determination to overcome obstacles, thus representing cou...

Part of a triptych image, a skeleton spectre, summoned by Princess Takiyasha, looms over to menace warrior Oya no Mitsukuni and his companion.

A bridge, particularly a bridge over water, represents crossing over from the profane to the sacred. In Zen symbolism, red represents life force, t...

Both the Japanese and Chinese regard the evergreen pine as a symbol of longevity, good fortune and steadfastness. The artist Hiroshige is thought t...

The Japanese word for monkey, “saru”, is a homonym for the Japanese word “expel” (also pronounced saru), meaning “dispel” or “push away”. This has ...