Artist’s notes:

“Spring” from the four-print series of Shirakawa Village – now a World Heritage Site – in Gifu Prefecture…. As the snow continues to melt, preparation for the year’s rice-planting begins – often giving reflections of the thatched houses in the newly-filled rice paddies. With winter over, the snow-fences are removed, and daylight once again floods through the paper windows.

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 22 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 16.6cm x 22.3cm (6.25″ x 8.75″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a dark blue mat border with a thickness of 2mm and a width of 38mm x 40mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

“Winter” from the four-print series of Shirakawa Village – now a World Heritage Site – in Gifu Prefecture…. The heavy snow, piled around the houses, makes it necessary to erect snow-fences both for protection and access. The steep roof slope helps snow slide downwards but, as the snow rises, the thatched house comes to be in continual darkness inside…

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 19 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 16cm x 22.1cm (6.25″ x 8.75″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a dark blue mat border with a thickness of 2mm and a width of 41mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

“Autumn” from the four-print series of Shirakawa Village – a World Heritage Site – in Gifu Prefecture… As it could snow, soon after the rice harvest, leaving little or no time for the sheaves to dry before threshing, farmers built thatched drying barns. The sheaves, hung on cross-poles under the building’s deep overhanging roof, were then threshed inside…

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 17 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 17cm x 22.1cm (6.75″ x 8.75″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a cream mat border with a thickness of 2mm and a width of 36mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

“Summer” from the four-print series of Shirakawa Village – a World Heritage Site – in Gifu Prefecture… After the long cold winter, and the short cool spring, the greenery and warmth of summer return… Here at Myozenji, the village temple, I sketch from atop the thatched, bell-tower gate – a quiet place to work, unnoticed by the summer visitors below.

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 18 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 17cm x 22.1cm (6.75″ x 8.75″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a cream mat border with a thickness of 2mm and a width of 36mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

An 1897 masterwork of unknown bricklayers. The Sanryusha Silkmill, in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture used buildings such as this to rear silkworms – which later produced the factory’s silk. Triple doors and thick walls helped maintain the temperature. As the factory came to its end all around, this lamp was retrieved – and now shines over a printer’s front door.

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 15 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 19cm x 19cm (7.5″ x 7.5″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a dark blue mat border with a thickness of 2mm and a width of 45mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

Night and day differ not only in time. Views – confused by bustling activity, poles and wires, and advertising in day-time – become clearer as much is consumed by night’s shadows. The steep roof of this Mino, Gifu Prefecture house seems shallower, the quiet street allows space to record in detail, the evening lights of neighbors are never the same…

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 16 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 19cm x 19cm (7.5″ x 7.5″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a cream mat border with a thickness of 2mm and a width of 39mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

Returning to draw an old house, reflected in a Tailor’s windows, I found the house gone. Dismayed, I stood where it had been… then noticed the slightly buckling roof and wood-framed, glass doors of the Tailor’s shop – my original viewing-point. Maybe, in a print, I could be in two places at the same time? Looking from… the place I am looking at???

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 17 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 22.2cm diameter (8.75″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a circular dark blue mat border with a thickness of 2mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

The rumble of trams is an uncommon sound now but in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, trams are colourful and reliable additions to city life. At the depot, it began to rain, so my retreat was the tram shed… home of the oldest tramcar on the line. Then, the newest came in from the wet – history, side by side…

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 17 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 16cm x 22.1cm (6.25″ x 8.75″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a dark blue mat border with a thickness of 2mm and a width of 41mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

Inns. They still dot the landscape, sometimes mistaken for private houses. But for this one, with its burgundy-colored entrance wall and wooden, candlelit lamp – having the distinctive shape of the local roof-style – there was no mistake. How many have been welcomed here? Greeted by the now almost unknown, soft candlelight, of the past…

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 18 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 15.2cm x 21.3cm (6″ x 8.75″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a dark blue mat border with a thickness of 2mm and a width of 45mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:
A hypermart? Demolition was underway when a photographer friend called about the Silkmill. This 1897 mix of European and Japanese factory architecture, of sturdy brick walls, grey-tile roofing and company-crested end-tiles, all towered over by a chimney, was going… only the stubborn brickwork was slowing the machines. Time enough then, as the pigeons left, for a printer to sneak inside…

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 20 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 20cm diameter (8.75″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a circular dark blue mat border with a thickness of 2mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile
Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

I had never seen Fireflies – and after moving to the countryside thought my eyes were playing tricks, one night, while walking in the deep darkness along the path home. Still too few, despite great conservation efforts by the local school, “our” Fireflies never cease to be a small wonder each year. Recording them, in woodblock, became a challenge…

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 17 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 19cm x 19cm (7.75″ x 7.75″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a cream mat border with a thickness of 3mm and a width of 45mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

High in the hills of Mie Prefecture is a well-known temple. Finding it under total reconstruction though dashed sketching plans – until I looked back, toward the main gate… The lake’s surface and the sky seemed as one. So, despite sub-zero temperatures, Kongoshoji was recorded – as a double illusion? – The temple itself is nowhere to be seen..

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 20 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 19.6cm x 19.6cm (7.75″ x 7.75″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a dark blue mat border with a thickness of 3mm and a width of 42mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

Discovering Alpha and Omega. Spending time with a tile-maker friend one day, I watched as he created two huge “end-tiles” for a temple roof. A surprise was that they were different… one had mouth open, one had mouth closed. I decided to record this but in a way a tile-maker would not, so created entwined images.

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 10 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 20cm x 20cm (8″ x 8″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a cream mat border with a thickness of 3mm and a width of 40mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

Futamiura, Mie Prefecture. Wow! A three-story, wooden-frame building with entrances befitting a temple… wooden balconies, polished stairs and passages. All guests have to cross a red bridge to reach reception. Even from the vantage point of a roof opposite, this left wing of the large inn was a challenge to record – my day passed quickly to evening…

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 14 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 16cm x 22.1 cm (6.25″ x 8.75″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a cream mat border with a thickness of 3mm and a width of 41mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

1912: Toyoda Spinning and Weaving Company build, mostly of brick, their Nagoya factory. Toyota’s first car is hand-made here. Later, for 30 years from 1964, only pigeons wing through the silence of the huge, derelict plant… 1994: Innovative ideas create the Museum of Industry and Technology – instead of a new Baseball Dome. “My wall” survives… with engineering history.

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 12 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 36cm x 19.2 cm (14″ x 7.75″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a cream mat border with a thickness of 3mm and a width of 40mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

Oshibuchi, Mie Prefecture. The kites soared above, throughout the day – A schoolboy came by, he said “Why do you draw our old house, it’s nothing?” – “Those hand-built walls of stone and old tiles… that roof…. your home is unique,” I replied. He said he’d never thought about those… until then. And we watched the kites soar awhile more.

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 18 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 17.7cm x 23.8cm (7”x 9″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a cream mat border with a thickness of 3mm and a width of 55mm x 70mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

The Asakichi Inn. Once part of a lively stop-over point for pilgrims, walking the hilly route between the Inner and Outer Great Shrines of Ise in Mie Prefecture, the inn is now quiet and few pass between the stone walls or cross the Inn’s bridge…. yet, at dusk, the lamps are still lit in welcome.

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 9 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 14.8cm x 20.9cm (5.75″ x 8.25″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a cream mat border with a thickness of 3mm and a width of 47mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

The evening moon casts a shadow over a “Gassho-style” home of the Hide region. Countering the heavy winter snow, these steep-roofed houses provided both protection and income. While the extended family lived below, grouped around the open hearths, the upper floors were used for raising silkworms. One of a pair of prints (the other is “Calm in the Sunlight”).

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 25 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 200 prints made
• 21.8cm x 21.8cm (8.5″ x 8.5″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a dark blue mat border with a thickness of 2mm and a width of 66mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Artist’s notes:

A moving shadow, attracted by the brighter light in the dark of day’s end, circles around a paper lantern near a doorway. The evening crowd at their local pub or “Izakaya” pass in and out. The shadow settles, then also moves on. One of a pair of prints recording the light filtered through paper-covered lanterns or “Chochins”.

Japanese woodblock printing carries a long, rich history that reached its heights in the Edo period (1603 to 1867). Traditionally the art of creating a woodblock print was broken down into the following specialties*:

1. First, an artist would create a design.
2. From that drawing, a block copyist would create a very fine black-and-white drawing on paper.
3. The print would be passed on to blockcarvers who, using chisels, would carve a series of woodblocks—first, a “key block” showing the outlines of the print, and then one block for each color to be printed – often 15 or more blocks were required.
4. When the blocks were complete, printers would apply ink using brushes. Laying a sheet of paper face down on top of the block, the printer rubbed the ink onto [handmade] paper using a round, flat pad, called a “baren”.

David Stones applies these same techniques, with one great exception: all work is completely designed, hand-carved and hand printed by the artist himself with absolutely no machinery involved in the process. David uses aged cherry wood and a soft magnolia wood that helps deliver a natural and desired finish.

Print details:

• Hand-carved and hand printed from 7 blocks of wood
• Printed on beautiful Echizen hand-made paper. (Echizen is a small city near the Sea of Japan with a long tradition of paper making. Papermakers there were once given the honour of creating Japan’s paper currency from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868.)
• Individually stamped and signed by the artist
• Limited edition first printing, with only 100 prints made
• 10.6cm x 10.6cm (4.75″ x 4.75″ approx.)
• All prints come complete with a complimentary pre-cut mat border.
• For this print a white mat border with a thickness of 3mm and a width of 47mm will be included in the shipment (frame not included).

Artist profile

Born in England, David Stones attended Lincoln College of Art studying printing and design. First visiting Japan in 1971, he returned in 1972 and discovered the world of woodblock prints.

With guidance from long-established print-maker Tomikichiro Tokuriki, of Kyoto, he began to produce his own small prints in Nagoya. Trial and error gave much experience. In 1983, his first solo show opened in the small city of Okazaki, near to where he had moved after renovating an abandoned farmhouse in the countryside where he still lives today with his wife Akiko.

*source: pbs.org

Effects/Advantages of Green Tea

The secret of green tea lies in the fact that it is rich in catechin polyphenols, in particular EGCG, or epigallocatechin gallate, a potent anti-oxidant. Because of this, green tea has been credited with providing a host of health benefits which are effective in fighting various diseases.

1. Slows down the ageing process

   By preventing the degradation of cell membranes, enzymes in green tea neutralizes the speed of free radicals which occur during the oxidation process.

2. Protects from food poisoning

   The astringent properties of the green tea are anti-bacterial in nature and aids in sterilization, therefore preventing food poisoning.

3. Prevents against cancer

   Scientific studies have shown that ingredients such as catechin in green tea help in the prevention and treatment of cancer. On top of checking the growth of cancer cells, it also destroys them without harming healthy tissue.

4. Protects against cavity and halitosis

   The fluoride in toothpaste works hand in hand with the catechin in green tea to prevent cavity. In fact, the flavonoids in tea aids in preventing bad odour in the mouth. This is a great alternative to chewing gum!

5. Aids in naturally beautiful skin

   Due to its health-giving properties (100g of green tea contains as much as 250mg of vitamin C), many skin and beauty preparations containing green tea have appeared on the market, ranging from deodorants, creams, lotions and even shampoo.

6. Improves memory & concentration

   Research has shown that green tea inhibit the activity of enzymes associated with the growth of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It also suggests that tea could even boost the memory of everyday drinkers.

7. Checks against high blood pressure

   Effective in lowering LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels, the EGCG in green tea also prevents against the abnormal formation of blood clots, or thrombosis. Consequentially, blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, or heart failure can be kept in check as well.

Backed by scientific evidence and personal testimonies in both Asia and the west, the list of benefits of the humble green tea never seems to end. Furthermore, Japanese researchers claim that drinking five cups of green tea daily can burn up to 80 calories. Other than that, even though approximately ¾ of Japanese men are smokers, they have a relatively low rate of heart disease.

However, please also note that the effects of green tea vary from individual to individual, and a healthy eating habit should be coupled with regular exercise and positive thinking as well. Perhaps by emulating the Japanese habit of regular tea drinking, your health will actually improve in the long term.

Sencha (broiled tea)

Being the most popular variety in Japan, this comes from the first and second flush of green tea. It is made of leaves that are exposed to direct sunlight. The first flush is also called shincha (new tea).

Genmaicha (brown-rice tea)

This is a blend of bancha (sometimes sencha ) and roasted brown rice. For a more attractive colour, genmaicha is sometimes mixed with a small amount of macha (rubbed tea).

Shigarakiyaki, essentially, is the unique art of producing pottery without the use of glaze, as with common pots. The pots are heated in kilns in temperatures of up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in a firm cling of the firewood ash on the surface. The ash wraps the pottery like a coat of glaze, and comes in a myriad of colours such as pale yellow, brown and light green.

Because of the characteristic deep taste produced when brewed in Shigarakiyaki pottery, 16th century tea-lovers popularized the use of their products for tea ceremonies. This has continued to be a firm favourite with anyone who wishes to indulge themselves in authentic Japanese style of tea drinking.

Matsuo Bashou, the most renowned of poets during Japan’s Edo period, had composed a poem in praise of the Asamiya tea. The master of the cooperative poetry, haiku, wrote: ki ga kurete chatsumi mo kiku ya hototokizu.

He was most likely visiting a tea plantation when inspiration struck, as he watched the workers harvest the leaves off the tree and was overwhelmed with a sense of tranquility at the scene around him. Loosely translated, it means that when one sipped the Asamiya tea, calmness will envelope the person and he will feel at peace. Such is the potency of the humble Japanese tea; take a sip and tea drinking will never be the same again.

How to make yourself a cup of green tea

1. Bring water to a boil (about 60 degrees Celcius)
2. Pour into water pot, and then transfer the hot water to strainer filled with appropriate amount of tea leaves (about 2-4 grams per cup)
3. Allow it steep for about 1-2 minutes
4. When the tea leaves begin to unfold, the tea is ready to be poured out
5. Enjoy a cup of nutritious green tea

Adhering to strict traditional methods, the construction of the Uchiwa framework always begins with the strong, flexible and elegant qualities of bamboo. The fan is then carefully wrapped with a gorgeous Japanese pattern printed on organic washi paper.

This remarkable Uchiwa features two individually hand-painted rabbits happily playing in an open field. Rabbits are a symbol of good luck and have come to represent spring-time in Japan. The painting, carefully cut in a circular shape into the heart of the fan, forms a magnificent backdrop within the floral scene. The fan is uniquely designed to be displayed on the included handmade wood stand, making it a stunningly decorative piece for any room in the house.

Details

• An extremely unique and fascinating gift to be enjoyed by a friend or loved one
• Uchiwa stands at about 26cm (10”) in height and 38cm (15”) wide
• Individually handmade by a master artist Katoh-san in rural Japan
• Constructed from bamboo and wrapped in organic washi paper
• Tapered wood handle makes it extremely comfortable to hold
• Handmade wood stand to cradle the Uchiwa is included with every order
• Uchiwa is packaged and protected in a hand-tied white folder that reads “Uchiwa”
• A printed product description as written on this page is included with the product
• Note that the handpainted rabbits may vary slightly from fan to fan
• Please take note that while the base design remains the same, the colours and other design elements might differ from the image shown here

Rich history

In the very beginning, Uchiwa fans were sacred tools used in Buddhist ceremonies and rituals. These first designs were not rounded as they are today, looking rather more like rectangles mounted on a stick. The Japanese imperial family and other similar class families used Uchiwa fans to block the sun and discreetly hide their faces from the public on the small number of occasions when they travelled beyond the palace gates.

Uchiwa was and is still used to keep cool during the hot Japanese summer months and serve as a handy guard against pesky insects. In the Edo period (1603-1867), an extremely large Uchiwa with a long handle was implemented by firemen to combat house fires.

EXPRESS SHIPPING INFORMATION

500 grams per set

If one set is shipped to the United States or Europe, the cost will be just $24.95. If two sets are shipped in the same package, the cost will be just $28.95. Any shipment over $300 qualifies for FREE express shipping.

Adhering to strict traditional methods, the construction of the Uchiwa framework always begins with the strong, flexible and elegant qualities of bamboo. The fan is then carefully wrapped with a gorgeous Japanese pattern printed on organic washi paper. The character on the Uchiwa displayed here is of the moon, known locally as “Tsuki”.

The fan is uniquely designed to be displayed on the included handmade wood stand making it a lovely decorative piece for any room in the house.

Details

• An extremely unique and interesting gift to be enjoyed by a friend or loved one
• Uchiwa stands at about 26cm (10”) in height and 38cm (15”) wide
• Individually handmade by a master artist Katoh-san in rural Japan
• Constructed from bamboo and wrapped in organic washi paper
• Tapered wood handle makes it extremely comfortable to hold
• Handmade wood stand to cradle the Uchiwa is included with every order
• Uchiwa is packaged and protected in a hand-tied white folder that reads “Uchiwa”
• A printed product description as written on this page is included with the product
• Please take note that while the base design remains the same, the colours and other design elements might differ from the image shown here

Rich history

In the very beginning, Uchiwa fans were sacred tools used in Buddhist ceremonies and rituals. These first designs were not rounded as they are today, looking rather more like rectangles mounted on a stick. The Japanese imperial family and other similar class families used Uchiwa fans to block the sun and discreetly hide their faces from the public on the small number of occasions when they travelled beyond the palace gates.

Uchiwa was and is still used to keep cool during the hot Japanese summer months and serve as a handy guard against pesky insects. In the Edo period (1603-1867), an extremely large Uchiwa with a long handle was implemented by firemen to combat house fires.

EXPRESS SHIPPING INFORMATION

500 grams per set

If one set is shipped to the United States or Europe, the cost will be just $24.95. If two sets are shipped in the same package, the cost will be just $28.95. Any shipment over $300 qualifies for FREE express shipping.

The splash of pearly drops of paint across the top of the umbrella gives it a playful theme. The pattern is decidedly random yet organised around a crescent shape, so much so that it may be mistaken for a moon-like pattern from afar. Imagine being shaded with this quirky parasol while out on a mid-afternoon stroll or having it accent your living room with a fresh burst of colour.

The frame of the umbrella is lovingly handcrafted using the “madake” bamboo, which has been split many times to produce the fine width that holds the washi paper in place. The bamboo widths have been heated over fire to give it a sturdy straight shape. Delightful struts and sturdy multi-coloured threads form the beautiful work of itokagari (intricate web form) inside the umbrella.

The maigasa can be separated in two parts by turning the screw of the handle, making it remarkably compact. A handy carrying case is also included, so take it anywhere you like! The handle is further painted with a protective black lacquer.

Details:

• Width: 82cm (32.3”) Height: 81cm (31.9”)
• Handmade and hand-painted in Kyoto using techniques unchanged for over 5 generations
• For use in traditional Japanese dance, as a lovely parasol and a decorative piece for the home
• Made from natural Japanese madake bamboo and organic washi paper
• Not for use in the rain.
• A handy carrying case is included

The splash of pearly drops of paint across the top of the umbrella gives it a playful theme. The pattern is decidedly random yet organised around a crescent shape, so much so that it may be mistaken for a moon-like pattern from afar. Imagine being shaded with this quirky parasol while out on a mid-afternoon stroll or having it accent your living room with a fresh burst of colour.

The frame of the umbrella is lovingly handcrafted using the “madake” bamboo, which has been split many times to produce the fine width that holds the washi paper in place. The bamboo widths have been heated over fire to give it a sturdy straight shape. Delightful struts and sturdy multi-coloured threads form the beautiful work of itokagari (intricate web form) inside the umbrella.

The maigasa can be separated in two parts by turning the screw of the handle, making it remarkably compact. A handy carrying case is also included, so take it anywhere you like! The handle is further painted with a protective black lacquer.

Details:

• Width: 82cm (32.3”) Height: 81cm (31.9”)
• Handmade and hand-painted in Kyoto using techniques unchanged for over 5 generations
• For use in traditional Japanese dance, as a lovely parasol and a decorative piece for the home
• Made from natural Japanese madake bamboo and organic washi paper
• Not for use in the rain.
• A handy carrying case is included

The swirl of wisteria painted on the top of the umbrella evokes memories of springtime under gazebos planted with the lively flowers. The trails of clustered white, violet or blue flowers with its distinctive fragrance are one of the most romanticized of flowering garden plants. Imagine carrying this while wearing your favourite yukata or summer dress, surely a sight to behold!

The frame of the umbrella is lovingly handcrafted using the “madake” bamboo, which has been split many times to produce the fine width that holds the washi paper in place. The bamboo widths have been heated over fire to give it a sturdy straight shape. Delightful struts and sturdy multi-coloured threads form beautiful work of itokagari (intricate web form) inside the umbrella.

The maigasa can be separated in two parts by turning the screw of the handle, making it remarkably compact. A handy carrying case is also included, so take it anywhere you like! The handle is further painted with a protective black lacquer.

Details:

• Width: 82cm (32.3”) Height: 81cm (31.9”)
• Handmade and hand-painted in Kyoto using techniques unchanged for over 5 generations
• For use in traditional Japanese dance, as a lovely parasol and a decorative piece for the home
• Made from natural Japanese madake bamboo and organic washi paper
• Not for use in the rain.
• A handy carrying case is included

The swirl of wisteria painted on the top of the umbrella evokes memories of springtime under gazebos planted with the lively flowers. The trails of clustered white, violet or blue flowers with its distinctive fragrance are one of the most romanticized of flowering garden plants. Imagine carrying this while wearing your favourite yukata or summer dress, surely a sight to behold!

The frame of the umbrella is lovingly handcrafted using the “madake” bamboo, which has been split many times to produce the fine width that holds the washi paper in place. The bamboo widths have been heated over fire to give it a sturdy straight shape. Delightful struts and sturdy multi-coloured threads form beautiful work of itokagari (intricate web form) inside the umbrella.

The maigasa can be separated in two parts by turning the screw of the handle, making it remarkably compact. A handy carrying case is also included, so take it anywhere you like! The handle is further painted with a protective black lacquer.

Details:

• Width: 82cm (32.3”) Height: 81cm (31.9”)
• Handmade and hand-painted in Kyoto using techniques unchanged for over 5 generations
• For use in traditional Japanese dance, as a lovely parasol and a decorative piece for the home
• Made from natural Japanese madake bamboo and organic washi paper
• Not for use in the rain.
• A handy carrying case is included

The unique crook handle, made of cherry wood or “sakura”, the national tree of Japan, is fastened to a carbon fibre tube, making it very strong yet remarkably lightweight. The fabric of the umbrella is extremely special and perhaps it’s most endearing quality. It is made of Hakusan silk, the famous silk that is used for high-end kimonos. The silk itself comes from the northern regions of the Ishikawa prefecture.

A fantastic dance of maple leaves are hand-painted around the umbrella by a master Kyoto Yuzen artist. Yuzen is a refined and elegant dyeing process founded in Kyoto and normally used on quality kimono silk. The 65cm (25.6”) rods or stretcher are made of steel, providing strength and flexibility. All parts of the umbrella have been further waterproofed and treated with a 99% UV-cut protective layer.

No expense has been spared. This is truly a work of art to be appreciated for a lifetime.

This umbrella can also be personalized at no additional cost. We will contact the purchaser by email after the product is ordered for the desired name (if any) on the umbrella.

Details:

• Width: 116cm (45.7”) Height: 73cm (28.7”)
• Entirely handcrafted and hand-painted in Kyoto
• Made from natural Japanese silk, cherry, carbon fibre, and flexible steel.
• Protective umbrella cover included
• An absolute treasure; unlike any umbrella in the world.
• Ships within about 2-4 weeks
• Repair servicing is available (for a fee) should harm ever come to the umbrella.

The unique crook handle, made of cherry wood or “sakura”, the national tree of Japan, is fastened to a tube that is carved from Japanese oak, known as “kashi”. The fabric of the umbrella is very special and perhaps its most endearing quality. It is made of Hakusan silk, the famous silk that is used for high-end kimonos. The silk itself comes from the northern regions of the Ishikawa prefecture.

Two dramatic dragons are then hand-drawn onto the inside of the Hakusan silk umbrella by a master Kyoto Yuzen artist. Yuzen is a refined and elegant dyeing process founded in Kyoto and normally used on quality kimono silk. The 70cm (27.5”) rods or stretcher are made of steel, providing strength and flexibility. All parts of the umbrella have been further waterproofed and treated with a 99% UV-cut protective layer.

No expense has been spared. This is truly a work of art to be appreciated for a lifetime.

This umbrella can also be personalized at no additional cost. We will contact the purchaser by email after the product is ordered for the desired name (if any) on the umbrella.

Details:

• Width: Approx. 126cm (50”) Height: 73cm (28.7”)
• Entirely handcrafted and hand-painted in Kyoto
• Made from natural Japanese silk, cherry, oak, and flexible steel.
• Protective umbrella cover included
• An absolute treasure; unlike any umbrella in the world.
• Ships within about 2-4 weeks
• Repair servicing is available (for a fee) should harm ever come to the umbrella.

The Gods Fujin & Raijin

The Gods of wind (Fujin) and thunder (Raijin) are thought to live above the clouds. Fujin is usually depicted as a muscular man with a big sack made of cloth. This sack is filled with numerous winds and when opened, a tremendous blast of wind blows. Raijin is also portrayed as muscular man surrounded by a set of drums that he uses to make the rumblings of thunder.

Legend goes that these two Gods were originally evil demons who opposed Buddha. Buddha then ordered his heavenly army to capture them. Proceeding an intense battle between the demons and 33 Gods, Fujin and Raijin were eventually captured and have been working in heaven ever since.

The unique crook handle, made of cherry wood or “sakura”, the national tree of Japan, is fastened to a tube that is carved from Japanese oak, known as “kashi”. The fabric of the umbrella is very special and perhaps its most endearing quality. It is made of Hakusan silk, the famous silk that is used for high-end kimonos. The silk itself comes from the northern regions of the Ishikawa prefecture.

Two dramatic dragons are then hand-drawn onto the inside of the Hakusan silk umbrella by a master Kyoto Yuzen artist. Yuzen is a refined and elegant dyeing process founded in Kyoto and normally used on quality kimono silk. The 70cm (27.5”) rods or stretcher are made of steel, providing strength and flexibility. All parts of the umbrella have been further waterproofed and treated with a 99% UV-cut protective layer.

No expense has been spared. This is truly a work of art to be appreciated for a lifetime.

This umbrella can also be personalized at no additional cost. We will contact the purchaser by email after the product is ordered for the desired name (if any) on the umbrella.

Details:

• Width: Approx. 126cm (50”) Height: 73cm (28.7”)
• Entirely handcrafted and hand-painted in Kyoto
• Made from natural Japanese silk, cherry, oak, and flexible steel.
• Protective umbrella cover included
• An absolute treasure; unlike any umbrella in the world.
• Ships within about 2-4 weeks
• Repair servicing is available (for a fee) should harm ever come to the umbrella.

Japanese Dragons

Japanese dragons are legendary serpent-like creatures capable of changing their size at will, even to the extent of becoming invisible. Unlike dragons from Korea and China, Japanese dragons have three claws instead of four and are considered powers of the air.