A complete remake of all 15 volumes made with woodblock prints!
"Hokusai Manga" was introduced to the world in the 19th century and is considered the essence of Hokusai's art.
It is often referred to as the "picture encyclopedia or Hokusai Sketches." It profoundly influenced European painters and served as a catalyst for the subsequent fervour of Japonism that emerged.
The culmination of an extensive collection of over 3,900 sketches, the motifs within Hokusai Manga cover a wide range of genres, including various occupations, customs and manners, swordsmanship, sumo wrestling, changing facial expressions, ghosts and monsters, historical events and figures, architecture, landscapes, plants and flowers, animals, and fish.
The entire collection of 434 woodblocks of Hokusai Manga, preserved in the publisher Unsodo—which has a history of over 125 years—has been carefully reprinted by experienced artisans who maintain the techniques of Edo Ukiyo-e.
Eighty thousand pages of washi paper were used to create this work. The washi paper used was the thin and durable Tosa Washi (Suzaki hanshi paper).
The work is finished with traditional Japanese bookbinding techniques, where each page is carefully sewn together.
15 volumes, bound in Japanese binding, wrapped in a folding case
Takahashi Kobo
https://takahashi-kobo.com/english/
Founded during the Ansei period (1854-1860), Takahashi Kobo has been making woodblock prints for approximately 160 years, since the Edo period (1603-1867). Originally working as Surishi (the artisans who colour the woodblocks and print the final image) on Edo woodblock prints, the Takahashi family began publishing prints after their fourth generation took over. "The work of woodblock printing is the root of Japanese printing. From temple school textbooks to ukiyo-e prints and wrapping paper, Japanese printing has always been supported by the technique of woodblock printing," says Yukiko Takahashi, the sixth generation of the Takahashi family.
During the Edo period, ukiyo-e prints served the purpose of informative magazines. For example, in the image of a beautiful woman, fashion trends of the time such as the design of the kimono and furniture, hairstyle, and hand fan, were all depicted in meticulous detail. The artistic value of ukiyo-e is such that it is now recognized globally.
Currently, Takahashi Kobo prints a wide variety of themes using woodblock, from traditional ukiyo-e to modern art. Furthermore, Takahashi produces merchandise sold at museum exhibitions and also holds lectures, demonstrations, and workshops by artisans at museums and schools. Such initiatives, which give new life to the culture of Edo woodblock prints by sharing and experiencing of the history and techniques associated them, have been highly popular and more and more offers have been coming from overseas recently, such as from Paris and London.
However, Takahashi says, "Ukiyo-e prints remain the base of woodblock prints. As we make use of this rich tradition and culture, I would like to use all five senses to capture current trends, embody them, and use them to produce works that suit contemporary lifestyles."
