Japan’s traditional woodblock print, ukiyo-e is hailed as one of the country’s three great art forms, alongside maki-e lacquerware and Imari porcelain. Developed during the Edo period (1603–1868), it’s characterised by clean lines, bold compositions, vivid colours and a distinctive absence of shadow.
Ukiyo-e works often portray popular culture, scenic landscapes and urban life, with a particular fondness for depicting actors and beautiful women, which is why this art form was frequently used to create kabuki show posters. What makes ukiyo-e even more special is that the creation of a single print requires close collaboration among four parties: the publisher, artist, carver and printer.
You can marvel at the colourful world of ukiyo-e at this limited-time exhibition and sale, held in the third-floor event space at Daimaru Umeda department store. Around 40 works will be on display, all available for purchase – should you wish to invest a few hundred thousand yen, or perhaps over a million, for a collector’s piece from one of Japan’s most celebrated art forms.
The selection on display showcases a wide range of subjects, including portraits and landscapes of the Kansai and Tokaido regions. Keep an eye out for pieces centred on street scenes of old Osaka featuring Daimaru’s original store, as these reflect the flourishing merchant culture of the time.