– What is Edo woodblock printing? – How to make it

The art of washi paper can be enjoyed through sight, touch, and all five senses

Ukiyo-e Cafe Tsutaju supports Edo woodblock print artisans.

There are many attractions to woodblock prints. People who don’t know about them probably don’t even know the difference between them and printing. Unlike printers, they are made by publishers with the cooperation of comic storytellers, artists, carvers, and printers, which is why I feel they have deep appeal and value even today. It’s hard to sum it up in one sentence, but I’ve listed the reasons why I got bogged down in the quagmire of woodblock prints.

The appeal of woodblock prints

• You can learn about the history, customs, habits, and fashion of the Edo period.
• Because it is Japanese paper, it has a stronger presence than printed matter when displayed in a room. Its value as a work of art is increased.
• The mica prints in white, black, and red change appearance depending on the viewing angle and the light.
• The expression of hair splitting (thin hair) beyond the limits of human ability.
• The printer’s technique is amazing! The unevenness (realistic embossing) that can only be expressed with Japanese paper cannot be imitated by printing.
• There is the pleasure of touching woodblock prints, which are not printed materials!
• In the case of old books, not just ukiyo-e, there are multiple prints, not only originals and reprints, but also first, second, and third prints, and there is the fun of investigating the differences and modifications.
• Enjoy the changes and arrangements in the skills of Edo period printers and carvers to the skills of Meiji to modern craftsmen.
• Even with works from the Edo period, modern craftsmen can basically reproduce the same work. This is impossible with a single-piece hand-painted painting by Van Gogh or the like! In the case of original paintings, they are either copies or lithographs, but the texture of an original painting cannot be reproduced.
• Even today, it satisfies the desire to own a genuine woodblock print from the Edo period.
• As beautiful art objects, their value may increase but rarely decreases. They have high asset value.

Ukiyo-e: a globally valued asset

Japanese content is becoming popular worldwide. Not only Japanese food and anime, but also “ukiyo-e” is very popular among foreigners. They may know more about it than Japanese people. There are also many tourists who buy large quantities of it at high prices. There are examples that prove that woodblock prints are highly collectible.

In 2023, Hokusai’s “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” was sold at Christie’s for just 2.76 million USD (approximately 370 million JPY).

It is the highest price ever recorded for a ukiyo-e woodblock print that can be reproduced, not hand-painted. This price is an extraordinary high evaluation for a reproduction. Since there is only one hand-painted print, it is rare and expensive. One theory is that there may be more than 100 copies of “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” remaining. Since about 200 woodblock prints are printed at a time, it is possible to own an old one if you look for it. In the case of hand-painted prints, they are basically one-of-a-kind, so it is expensive and difficult to own the real thing as a work of art. In the case of original (defined here as first-printed by the publisher) woodblock prints, it is quite possible that any Japanese person who works hard can own an original ukiyo-e, even in terms of cost. Moreover, original woodblock prints are unlikely to depreciate in value, so they have high asset value. Although it cannot be said for sure, since ukiyo-e has become a global content, I think that if the world continues to grow due to inflation, there is a high possibility that the price will rise. Even if it falls, it will be temporary and limited.

Differences between original and reproduction woodblock prints

After about 1000 blocks, the woodblocks become loose, the lines become blurred, and the sharpness is lost. When making a new block, the craftsman borrows the original ukiyo-e from a museum or an organization such as the Tokyo Traditional Woodblock Print Crafts Cooperative Association, and regenerates the block. This is a process that has been repeated since the Edo period. Some craftsmen stick to the materials used in the Edo period, such as the woodblocks, washi paper, and paints, while others upgrade and improve their works with modern materials. In addition, the lines may be renovated according to the craftsman’s preference. Even with “The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” works that are subtly different due to reproductions, copies, and arrangements are created. Currently, I feel that the academic rigor of this expression is ambiguous. At the Ukiyo-e Cafe, we sell reproductions of “The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” as well as woodblocks that are faithfully reproduced to the original, and works that are doubled in size to make them look better, called “baisuri.” We also sell arranged posters and postcards. I think one of the charms of woodblock prints is that they can be enjoyed in a variety of different ways depending on your preferences.

What I want more Japanese people to know is that the ukiyo-e that sold for 2.76 million USD is “basically the same” as Edo woodblock prints made by craftsmen today. The work that sold for 2.76 million USD and “Under the Great Wave off Kanagawa” being sold at the Ukiyo-e Cafe are both basically made from the same original painting, and printed by modern printers. Strictly speaking, there are differences in the publishers, carvers, printers, and materials that released them, but as manufactured products and woodblock prints, they can be considered to be of equal or higher quality. They have not deteriorated.

At the Ukiyo-e Cafe, we have a permanent exhibition of both original and reprinted woodblock prints. Please enjoy looking at, touching and enjoying the woodblock prints. We support Edo woodblock print artisans. Your understanding and support is necessary to continue weaving traditional techniques. We operate a small Ukiyo-e museum to bring woodblock prints closer to the lives of Japanese people. Please come and experience woodblock prints.

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