Woodblock Prints - A Great Souvenir!

One of the most recognizable forms of Japanese arts are woodblock prints or ukiyo-e. The word ukiyo refers to the world of common people and e means picture. This art form originated in the late sixteenth century in the ancient capital of Kyoto and the first ukiyo-e were not woodblock prints at all but paintings of everyday life. As ukiyo-e developed into popular art the subjects of the prints broadened. The equivalent of today’s movie poster were Yakusha-e or woodblock prints of kabuki actors in popular roles and Bijin-ga illustrated beautiful women of Edo. Landscapes came later and were used as we use postcards today. You can see beautiful examples of ukiyo-e in many of Tokyo’s museums and you can purchase modern reproductions of ancient scenes in many stores, including the Oriental Bazaar in the Omotesando area of Tokyo. The scene below is on a plaque at the site of a former Shrine in Kagurazaka and I think it’s just gorgeous! Making traditional uk...