Podcasts about heian period

The Heian Period (794-1185) is seen as a golden age in Japanese history. The arts flourished, written Japanese was invented, and great works of literature were penned. But it was also a time of political turmoil as two rival factions fought for control over the imperial court and, in turn, the country. Join me for a bloodbath worthy of 'Game of Thrones' this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast.

When studying mokuhanga, whether you're an academic, a creator, or for general interest, there are some scholars and academics that are mandatory in your studies.  Claire Cuccio is that particular scholar. Currently based in Seattle, and working in international education for 20 years, Claire has been a resident in Asia as an Asian print and handcraft culture specialist and cultural heritage educator. While also working for the International Mokuhanga Conference and conducting research on Nepalese woodblock print culture, Claire has been an asset to the mokuhanga community for some time.  On this episode I speak with Claire about how she got involved in studying print culture in Japan and Asia. We talk on the sensibility of mokuhanga and how Claire is driven by her personal relationships. We also discuss the economics of mokuhanga history and her work with Nepalese printmaker, Kabi Raj Lama.  Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com  Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Claire Cuccio  - her International Mokuhanga Conference lecture from 2022 can be found, here. Claire's work with woodpaperhand can be found here which contains links to many of her projects and lectures.  The New Yorker -  is a weekly magazine which began publishing in 1925 in the United States. It is published by Condé Nast. It is a magazine that covers American and world politics, culture, and arts from around the world, and New York City.  Washington University in St. Louis - is an acclaimed private research university located in St Louis, Missouri, USA. It has an edownment of 13.3 billion. The school covers many subjects and career paths such as medicine and law. More information can be found on their website, here. Myōjō - (明星) was a monthly literary and arts magazine based in Japan. It began publication in 1900 but ended its run in 1908.  It was published by Shinshisha. It was revived twice from 1921-1927, and from 1947-49 by different publishers. The magazine was made famous because of the first sōsaku hanga print ever made by Yamamoto Kanae, “The Fisherman.”  Myōjō cover from February, 1901 Harpers - is a monthly magazine in the United States, published by Harper Collins and was founded in 1850. The magazine covers politics, culture, art, history amongst other subjects. More info can be found, here. Yosano Akiko (1878-1942) - was the pen name of Shō Hō, a Japanese poet, pacifict and feminist. Her work was in the tanka format of poetry, which is 5-7-5-7-7. The Masterclass website has an interesting article describing tanka poetry, here. Tekkan Yosano (1873-1935)- was the husband of Yosano Akiko. He too was a poet and activist in early Twentieth Century Japan. As Claire mentions in her interview, Tekkan founded Myōjō in 1900.  sōsaku-hanga - or creative prints, is a style of printmaking which is predominantly, although not exclusively, prints made by one person. It started in the early twentieth century in Japan, in the same period as the shin-hanga movement. The artist designs, carves, and prints their own works. The designs, especially in the early days, may seem rudimentary but the creation of self-made prints was a breakthrough for printmakers moving away from where only a select group of carvers, printers and publishers created woodblock prints.  Fujishima Takeji (1867-1943)  - was a Japanese painter. He studied Western painting (yōga) in the Romantic and impressionistic styles, but also painted Japanese themes. He made mokuhanga during the sōsaku hanga period of Japanese printing, carved and printed himself.  Dawn Drizzle at Kawaramachi (1934) Ishii Hakutei (1882-1958) - was a Japanese painter who studied Western style painting. He became editor of the first incarnation of Myōjō in 1900, helping to publish Kanae's “Fisherman” print. Hakutei is famous for his Twelve Views of Tōkyō prints which he printed himself.  Twelve Views of Tōkyō: Yanagibashi (1910) Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies (KCJS) - located on the campus at Doshisha University, the KCJS is a fully immersive langauge school both culturally and linguistically. It has 13 member universities from the United States. More info can be found, here. Henry Smith II - is a professor emeritus at Columbia University. The article he wrote about the hanmoto system and Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) can be found, here.  Rebecca Salter - is the President of The Royal Academy of Arts, in London, England. She is also an artist who has written two books about Japanese woodblock printing, Japanese Woodblock Printing (2001), and Japanese Popular Prints (2006). She worked with the Satō Woodblock Print Workshop, documenting their process. Her interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.  shadow cast one (2015) Satō woodblock workshop - is a traditional Japanese woodblock production house based in Kyōto, Japan. Here is an article from The Journal of Modern Craft with Rebecca Salter regarding this workshop.  International Society for Education Through Art (InSEA) - is a non governmental, associated with the United Nations, organization which tries to promote creative education around the world via events. They work with 70 countries from around the world. Find out more about what they do at their website, here. Moya Bligh (1954-2009) - was an Irish mokuhanga printmaker based in Kyoto. She lived in Japan for 30 years, having moved there permanently in the 1980's. A graduate of Tama Art University, Moya studied with Akira Kurosaki (1937-2019) and regularly conducted mokuhanga workshops in Ireland and Japan. Ms. Bligh's legacy in mokuhanga continues to this day. Beyond Wood 1 (2002) Kyoto Seika University - is a private university based in Kyōto, Japan. It is a university focused on art and scholarship. More info, here.  Elizabeth Forrest - is an award-winning Canadian artist and mokuhanga prinmaker. She has been producing mokuhanga since the late 1980's when she lived and studied in Kyōto. She has studied with the late Akira Kurosaki. More info about Elizabeth's work can be found, here.  Glancing North II (2009) Keiko Kadota (1942-2017) - was the director of Nagasawa Art Park at Awaji City from 1997-2011, and then of MI Lab at Lake Kawaguchi from 2011 until her passing. Uchiwa fans - are a craft style of hand held fan commonly seen in the summer time in Japan. There are several types of uchiwa fans, according to Kogei Japan. First, is Chinese inspired, second, is Southern inspired, and lastly, Korean inspired. Uchiwa fans are shaped like a ping pong paddle. There are various styles of fans in Japan. More info about uchiwa fans and others can be found here at Japanobjects.com. New Year Card - called nengajo (年賀状) in Japanese, these cards have been traditionally passed from person to person since the Heian Period (794-1185). Mokuhanga practitioners make them as well, creating a new one every year focusing on the zodiac sign of the year as a theme. Kyōto Handicraft Center - opened  in 1967, it is a center dedicated to the traditional crafts of Japan. Located near the Heian Shrine in central Kyōto they offer work shops, food, a restaurant, and a bookshop for national and international tourists. On their website in English you can order from their online shop, shipping internationally. More info, here.  Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum - is mokuhanga museum in Ōsaka that focuses on ukiyo-e era woodblock prints of actors. It is made up of four floors with a rotating exhibition and demonstration space. It's near the Dōntombori, a canal which runs from the Dōtonbori Bridge to Nipponbashi Bridge. It is a tourist hotspot in Ōsaka. More info, in Japanese, here.  Terry McKenna - is a mokuhanga printmaker based in Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan. He studied under Kyōto-based mokuhanga artist Richard Steiner. Terry also runs his own mokuhanga school in Karuizawa. His interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here. Richard Steiner's interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.  Beyond Raging Waves (2017) David Bull - is a Canadian woodblock printmaker, and educator who lives and works in Japan. His love of mokuhanga has almost singlehandedly promoted the art form around the world. His company, Mokuhankan, has a brick and mortar store in Asakusa, Tōkyō, and online, here.  The Seacoast in Summer (2007-9) Doi Hangaten -  is a mokuhanga print publisher located in Tōkyō, Japan. Once a publisher of prints associated with the shin-hanga movement of the ealry twentieth century, the company continues to publish reproductions of famous Japanese prints, in the old ways. Most recently, the Doi family have collaborated with David Bull and Mokuhankan to publish new verions of some of the old blocks from almost 100 years ago. More info about the Doi Hangaten can be found here, here and here. The collaboration videos produced by Mokuhankan regarding the Doi family and the subsequant collaboration can be found, here.      Matsushima (1936)   Was designed by Tsuchiya Koitsu (1870-1949), and printed by Mokuhankan with Shun Yamamoto, who is himself an accomplished printmaker.  The Adachi Institute of Woodblock Prints - is a print studio located in Tōkyō. Established in 1994 in order to promote and preserve the colour woodblock print of Japan. More information, in English and in Japanese.  Narita, Chiba, Japan - is a city located roughly 70km from the city of Tōkyō. Known predominantly as the home to Narita International Airport. The city and its environs have a long and rich history unto itself. For tourist information,  here. For the history of protest in the area, here. Andy Warhol (1928-1987) was an influential artist and filmmaker who ushered in the genre of art, considered as "pop art."     Sunset Series (1972) screen-print   Kabi Raj Lama  - is a Nepalese printmaker based in Kathmandu, Nepal. He has lived and worked in Japan studying mokuhanga, has travelled the world involved in art residences, studying printmaking. Lama works in intaglio, screen-printing, lithography, and mokuhanga. See Claire's above video from the IMC about Kabi Raj Lama's life and history. HIs Instagram can be found, here.     Kabiraj 5 (2017)   The Kentler International Drawing Space - is an art gallery located in Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York. It has hosted several mokuhanga centred exhibitions. The most recent was Between Worlds as hosted by The Mokuhanga Sisters, from July 17 - July 31, 2022. More info, here.    The Mokuhanga Sisters - are a mokuhanga collective consisting of Yoonmi Nam, Mariko Jesse, Lucy May Schofield, Melissa Schulenberg, Kate MacDonagh, Katie Baldwin, Mia-O, Patty Hudak, and Natasha Norman. website,  Instagram   Between Worlds - was a mokuhanga specific show hosted by the Kentler International Drawing Space from July 17 - July 31, 2022.    Books Kinokuniya - is a Japanese chain of bookstores located throughout every Prefecture in Japan and around the world. More info, here.    Peter Ujlaki - is a gallerist and scholar based in Ashiya, Hyōgō, Japan. His website Osakaprints.com has been an asset when researching and discussing prints from the Kamigata (Kansai) region of Japan. His website buys and sells prints from the above region of Kyoto, Ōsaka, and Kobe. The history of woodblock prints from this region is different than of Tōkyō. You can find Peter's wesbite, here.   senjafuda - are the votive slips Claire brings up in her interview. These were hand printed slips pasted by the worshipper onto the Buddhist temple of their choosing. These slips had many different subjects such as ghosts, Buddhist deities, and written characters. Japan Experience has bit of history of senjafuda, here.   The Bai people - are an ethnic group located in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Hunan Provinces of China. The Bai people have unique festivals, foods, and architecture.    Nishiki-e (錦絵) - is the Japanese phrase for multi-colour woodblock prints, otherwise known as brocade pictures.    Sea of Japan - is a body of water which lies beteween Japan, the two Koreas, and Russia. It is predominantly referred to as the Sea of Japan but is also known as the East Sea or Korean East Sea. The dispute of naming rights is on going.    International Mokuhanga Conference - is a bi-yearly conference dedicated to mokuhanga which started in 2011 by the International Mokuhanga Association. Each conference is themed. The latest conference was in 2021, delayed a year because of the pandemic. More information can be found, here.     Tuula Moilanen - is a Finnish mokuhanga printmaker and painter based in Finland. She lived and studied in Kyōto from 1989-2012,  where she learned her printmaking at Kyōto Seika University and from printmaker Akira Kurosaki (1937-2019). Her work can be found, here.   Return To Home (2014)   geidai (芸大) -  is the Japanese word for “arts college.”    Lauren Pearlman Sugita - is the owner and operator of the Japanese paper educator and supplier, Paper Connection. Based in Rhode Island, USA, Paper Connection has been supplying artists and educators with paper from many countries for over thirty years. More info can be found, here.  Echizen - is a region in Fukui Prefecture, Japan associated with Japanese paper making. It has a long history of paper making. There are many paper artisans in the area. One famous paper maker is Iwano Ichibei. He is a Living National Treasure in paper making, and the ninth generation of his family is still making paper today. More info can be found here in English, and here in Japanese.  hosho paper - is a handmade and machine made paper from Japan used for printmaking. Some information can be found here. Ibe Kyoko -  is a Japanese artist who works with washi, Japanese paper. She produces installations, prints, stage art, and Japanese folding screens (byōbu). You can find more information about her work on her website, here. An interview with the artist can be found here, at the Noyes Museum of Art in Stockton.   Recycling Washi Tales - is a performance piece by Kyoko Ibe and playwright Elise Thoron,  made about Japanese paper making and with washi. It is four stories, narrated,  taking the observer through different parts of Japanese paper history. More info can be found here on PBS.    Vietnamese paper (dó) - a great video from Business Insider,  here, about the history and modern production of Vietnamese paper in Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam. Vietnamese paper goes as far back as the 13th Century with book making and folk art. Information regarding the Zó Project, a non profit for preserving traditional Vietnamese paper, mentioned in the video can be found, here.   BlueCat Paper -  is a paper company based in Bangalore, India. They make various handmade paper in India, different shapes and colours. They upcycle their paper, meaning that everything is reused in the making of their paper. More info can be found, here.   handmade paper from Laos - South East Asia has had a tradition of papermaking for 700 years. Laotian paper is made of mulberry. More info can be found, here   handmade paper from Bhutan -  Bhutan has a history of handmade paper using the Daphne plant. Stemming from the eighth century, papermaking in Bhutan is made throughout the country. In 1990 the Bhutanese Travel and Tourist Agency wanted to preserve Bhutanese handmade paper. They sent Norbu Tenzin to learn papermaking in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. More info can be found at thre North Bengal Tourism site, here.   Lokta paper - is a Nepalese paper which also uses the bark of the Daphne tree. It is usually sold with various prints and designs.  More info can be found at Paper Connection, here.   © Popular Wheat Productions opening and closing musical credit - Stakes Is High, the instrumental by James Dewitt Yancey [J Dilla] (1974-2006). This beat was used by De La Soul, and released on the record Stakes Is High (1996) released by Tommy Boy Records. RIP David Jude Jolicoeur [Trugoy the Dove] (1968-2023) logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny  Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :) Слава Україну If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know. ***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***      

When looking for inspiration, when looking for someone you can look up to in your craft, I look to Paul Binnie. Paul is an artist who has carved a living from their craft, and has been a large part of the greater mokuhanga community. His work has touched on so many themes, concepts and ideas. His mokuhanga takes the past and brings it firmly into the future.  On this episode of The Unfinished Print, I speak with mokuhanga printmaker Paul Binnie. Paul speaks about his life and career, how he uses pigments, paper, and wood for his work. We discuss the fantasy and reality of an historical past. We look at shin-hanga, and sōsaku hanga, observing kabuki, as well as taking a look at his other work such as oil painting and his drawings.  This interview was recorded during Paul Binnie's solo show at Scholten Japanese Art in June, 2022. There may be some background noise during the interview. I apologize for any inconvenience.  Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com  Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Artists works follow after the note. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Paul Binnie - while Paul doesn't have a singular website he does have his Instagram. There is the "Binnie Catalogue," which is produced by a third party which digitally collects his work, past and present. This can be found, here.  Protest March - from the Flowers of a Hundred Years Series (2016) New Year Card - called nengajo (年賀状) in Japanese, these cards have been traditionally passed from person to person since the Heian Period (794-1185). Mokuhanga practitioners make them as well, creating a new one every year focusing on the zodiac sign of the year as a theme. Scholten Japanese Art - is a mokuhanga focused art gallery located in midtown Manhattan. It was founded by René Scholten, an avid collector of the Japanese print. More info can be found, here. intaglio printing - is a printing method, also called etching, using metal plates such as zinc, and copper, creating “recessed” areas which are printed with ink on the surface of these "recesses.” More info, here. The MET has info, here.  Yoshida Hiroshi (1876-1950) - a watercolorist, oil painter, and woodblock printmaker. Is associated with the resurgence of the woodblock print in Japan, and in the West. It was his early relationship with Watanabe Shōzaburō, having his first seven prints printed by the Shōzaburō atelier, that made Hiroshi believe that he could hire his own carvers and printers and produce woodblock prints, which he did in 1925.  Yoshida Tōshi (1911-1995) - eldest son of Hiroshi Yoshida. Having been affected by polio, and the pressure of continuing his fathers legacy, Tōshi Yoshida made prints and paintings which gradually became expressive, avant garde and abstract. Later in life he focused on birds and mammals. Seki Kenji - is a woodblock printmaker based in Tokyo. He was head printer, and produced prints, for Doi Hangaten as well as making his own pieces.  Late Fall (ca 1990's) Western Representational realism - is an attempt to represent the subject in art in the most realistic way possible. Interchangeable with naturalism in European art of the 19th Century.  kabuki - is a traditional form of Japanese theatre which started in Kyoto on the banks of the Kamo River in the 17th Century. Today it is a multi million dollar business and is almost exclusively run, professionally, by The Shochiku Company. Kabuki, the word, is separated into three different sounds; ka - meaning to sing, bu - meaning to dance, and ki- meaning skill. There are various families in kabuki which generate actors, passing down tradition throughout the lineage. For more information please read this fine article from Nippon.com. There are many books written on the subject of kabuki, but in my opinion, to begin, one needs to read Leonard Pronko's work Theatre East & West, Kawatake Toshio's Kabuki, and Earl Ernst's The Kabuki Theatre. Online, please visit Kabuki21.com, who's site is unparalleled. On YouTube there is the new(ish) Kabuki In-Depth which is updated regularly on kabuki information and history, and is very well done.  Hiroo/Roppongi -  is an upscale area of Tōkyō, Japan. It has a thriving international community, museums, galleries and the like. More info can be found, here.  Nakamura Utaemon VI (1917-2001) - was a kabuki actor who focused primarliy on female roles, or onnagata. He is considered one of the best actors in this kind of role, and was designated a Living National Treasure in Japan, in 1968.  From, A Great Mirror of the Actors of the Heisei Period: Nakamura Utaemon as Agemaki in Sukeroku by Paul Binnie (1997) Agemaki - is a character from the celebrated story Sukeroku, a story about love and revenge. It was first staged in kabuki in 1713. Agemaki is a famous courtesan who is in love with Sukeroku.  Edo Wonderland Nikko Mura - is an Edo stylized theme park based on the architecture of Edo Period (1603-1868) Japan, and is located in Tochigi Prefecture. There are other areas in Japan which contain Edo Period architecture and events, such as the Dutch Trading Post located on Dejima Island in Nagasaki. More info regarding Edo Wonderland, here.  More info on the Dejima, Dutch Trading Post, here.  nō - is a traditional Japanese theatre based on ghost and mythological stories. It, like kabuki, uses dance, music, and drama to tell its story. It is older than kabuki and was patronized by the aristocratic class in Japan. Kabuki was the oppoosite, where the everyperson could enjoy kabuki, the aristrocrats enjoyed nō. Like kabuki, the stage is set in a traditional way, and the roles are played by men. For a more detailed descriptor of nō, you can find it at Japan-Guide.com, here. Takarazuka -  is an all female musical theatre troupe, based in Hyōgo Prefecture, and founded in 1914. The revue has become a popular Kansai tourist attraction. For a detailed description of the Takarazuka, their website in English can be found, here. A Crib's Notes descriptor can be found, here.  kappazuri-e - is the method of stencil printing, usually atributed to the sōsaku hanga artists of the 1950's and 1960's. Artists such as Yoshitoshi Mori (1898-1992), used stencil's to make elaborate prints. It can be quite an interesting and complicated process. More information can be found, here, from Viewing Japanese Prints.    Yoshitoshi Mori : Street Vendors (1970)    German Expressionism - focused on emotional expression rather than realistic expression. German Expressionists  explored their works with colour and shape searching for a “primitive aesthetic” through experimentation. More info can be found, here, on Artsy.net    Max Pechstein - Angler am Lebastrom (1936) watercolour on paper   Edvard Munch (1863-1944) - was a Norweigan artist, who initially was a painter, but also ventured into printmaking making 850 images. His print medium was etching, lithography, and woodcut. More information can be found here, at Christie's.      The Girls on The Bridge (1918) woodcut printed in blue with lithograph and pale green on wove paper.    Ralph Kiggell (1960-2022) -  was one of the most important mokuhanga practitioners. Originally from England, Ralph lived and worked in Thailand. Ralph pushed the boundaries of mokuhanga with extremely large pieces, jigsaw carving, and by using fantastic colour. He also worked with the International Mokuhanga Conference to promote mokuhanga around the world. He will be greatly missed. Ralph's work can be found, here. His obituary in The Guardian can be found, here. His interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.     Jackfruit (2018)   Tama Art University - is an arts university located in various campuses in Tōkyō. It has various departments such as Architecture, Product and Textile Design, and Art Studies.    Ban Hua: Chinese woodblock prints - the history of Chinese woodblock goes back centuries, longer than the Japanese method. Modern Chinese printmaking began after Mao's Cultural Revolution, strongly connected  by the writings and work of philosopher, academic, and artist Lu Xun (1881-1936) who established the Modern Woodcut Movement. There is a lot of information regarding Chinese woodblock printing. To begin, check out the Muban Educational Trust based in England and their work. More info can be found, here.  And here at artelino, For the history of Lu Xun, this can be found, here.    powdered pigments - are an option when producing your mokuhanga. They are pigments which are made of powder, and when mixed with certain binders can be used as gouache, or water colours.    nihonga - was a Japanese artistic movement based on going back to a “traditional” form of Japanese aesthetic in painting, away form the new Western influences which were coming into Japan during the later 19th Century. More info can be found, here.      Tetsu Katsuda (1896-1980) - Evening (1934)   Uemura Shōen (1875-1949) -  was the pseudonym of Uemura Tsune, who was supported by her mother to pursue painting, at a time when female painters were rare. Her work focused on various themes such as nō, the four seasons, and nationalist paintings during World War 2.      Daughter Miyuki (1914) painting   kozo paper -  is paper made from mulberry bark and is commonly used in woodblock printmaking.   shina - is a type of Japanese plywood used in mokuhanga. Not all shina is made equally, buyer beware.    Wood Like Matsumura - is an online and brick and mortar store, for woodblock printmaking, located in Nerima City, Tōkyō. website.   Nihon no Hanga - is a mokuhanga museum located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It focuses on many types of mokuhanga in history and publishes various catalogues of their exhibitions, which are top notch. More info, here.     The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art - This museum is dedicated to the arts, Western and “non-Western”from all periods of human history, focusing on education, and conservation. More info, here.    Kabuki Earphone Guide -  is and was an audio guide in Japanese for Japanese, and English for English speaking tourists coming to watch kabuki. It hired English speaking academics to narrate the action as you watched. In 2015 the English version of the audio guide was replaced with the GMARK or GMARC captioning guide. GMARK stands for Graphic Multilingual Advanced Real-time Captioning system.    Kabuki-za - is the main theatre in Tōkyō which shows kabuki performances. It was opened in 1889 and has been rebuilt several times in its history.    Okubi-e -  are woodblock prints of close-up human heads, which came into prominence in the late 19th Century. For me, the best mokuhanga designer of okubi-e is Toyohara Kunichika (1835-1900). His okubi-e of kabuki actors is unparalleled, showing the actors in various positions with intricate backgrounds and poses.      Kawarazaki Gonjuro I as Sato Masakiyo (1869)     Ichikawa Ennosuke IV as Nikki Danjō (1996) by Paul Binnie   Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) - was a Dutch post-Impressionist painter. He began to collect Japanese woodblock prints around the winter of 1886-1887 from the art dealer Siegfried Bing. he used to collect and to sell for a profit, although he didn't sell very many. This collection would go on to influence much of his work.  Rebecca Salter - is the President of The Royal Academy of Arts, in London, England. She is also an artist who has written two books about Japanese woodblock printing, Japanese Woodblock Printing (2001), and Japanese Popular Prints (2006). She worked with the Satō Woodblock Print Workshop, documenting their process. Her interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.  into the light II (2011) Akira Kurosaki 黒崎彰 (1937-2019) - was one of the most influential woodblock print artists of the modern era. His work, while seemingly abstract, moved people with its vibrant colour and powerful composition. He was a teacher and invented the “Disc Baren,” which is a great baren to begin your mokuhanga journey with. At the 2021 Mokuhanga Conference in Nara, Japan there was a tribute exhibit of his life works. Azusa Gallery has a nice selection of his work, here. W- 396, Wandering Heart (2017) Wimbledon, England - is a district located in South West London. Considered an affluent neighbourhood, it is the home of the Wimbledon tennis tournament. More info can be found here, at Visit London.    Stockwell, London - located in the burough of Lambeth, in London, England. It is a diverse neighbourhood, close to Brixton, with shopping, and restaurants. It's a great area to stay and enjoy a different side of London.    International Mokuhanga Conference - is a bi-yearly conference dedicated to mokuhanga which started in 2011 by the International Mokuhanga Association. Each conference is themed. The latest conference was in 2021, delayed a year because of the pandemic. More information can be found, here.       Hiroshi Yoshida - Fishes of Honolulu at The Honolulu Aquarium (1925)     Summer Canyon - Black's Beach: Sunrise   © Popular Wheat Productions opening and closing musical credit - Yazoo: Too Pieces. From their 1982 album Upstairs At Eric's logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny  Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :) Слава Україну If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know. ***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***            

Kodaishu - Days of Yore Show Notes Andy and Jim explore the very oldest kinds of sake in search of the real roots. From drunken serpents to monkly brews, we look at the earliest records of sake to see how it developed in the olden days. Vocabulary from this episode Sumizake - An ancient kind of filtered sake. No one knows for sure how they filtered it. Dakushu / Doburoku / Nigorizake - all the same kanji, all meaning “cloudy/muddied sake.” Heian Period - 794-1185 Goshu - An ancient sake brewed in the Heian. Kojibuai 28.6%, water absorption 77% (Modern koji 22%, mizubuai 135% ) Goishu - Another ancient Heian sake. 1 dan jikomi brewed from late August into september. 28.6% kojibuai and mizubuai of 51.4% (very very low). SMV -80-100. The low water content prevented spoilage. Kamakura - 1185-1333 Rise of private breweries, people drank too much, banned. Muromachi 1336-1573 Azuchi-Momoyama 1568-1603 Edo Period 1603-1867 Tamonin Nikki (Tamon temple chronicles) from 1478 to 1618 Recommended Sake Andy - Sawa no Tsuru Kimoto Honjozo Jim - Daruma Masamune 10 year koshu

The time and dedication that it takes to make mokuhanga is well known. And if it isn't then it really should be. It feels that it's easy to follow social media, and watch the pretty prints come out of nowhere, but behind all those nice pictures is a lot of hard work, and dedication. One person who is a prime example of this hard work, dedication and passion for the craft, is Lucy May Schofield. Based in England, Lucy has been making mokuhanga for some time. She has travelled the world, using her environment, and her passion to create mokuhanga that is expressive and powerful.  On this episode of The Unfinished Print, I speak with Lucy about how she discovered mokuhanga, her time at MI Lab, Lucy's love of bokashi,  and her mokuhanga relationships; those that have helped her along the way. Lucy also speaks on the Mokuhanga Sisters Collective, how grants and scholarships assist in Lucy's artistic pursuits, as well as how her other artistic endeavours affect her mokuhanga. Lucy's is a story which explores independence, pilgrimage, freedom, and how it affects a persons life.  Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints Twitter @unfinishedprint, or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com  Artists works follow after the note about them. Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Artists works follow after the note. Lucy May Schofield - website, Instagram Rebecca Salter - is the President of The Royal Academy of Arts, in London, England. She is also an artist who has written two books about Japanese woodblock printing, Japanese Woodblock Printing (2001), and Japanese Popular Prints (2006). She worked with the Satō Woodblock Print Workshop, documenting their process. Her interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.  Untitled 2015-14 (2015) Royal Academy of Arts - is an English art institution which as been in operation for 250 years. More info, here.  Fukuoka, Prefecture, Japan - is a Prefecture in the second most southern part of the Japanese archipelago.  It is known for is temples, hot springs, and natural beauty. Fukuoka tourist website, here. kotatsu - is a low table, electrically heated by an internal heater underneath the table itself, more info, here.  Munakata Shikō (志功棟方) - (1903-1975) arguably one of the most famous modern printmakers, Shiko is famous for his prints of women, animals, the supernatural, and Buddhist deities. He made his prints with an esoteric fervour where his philosophies about mokuhanga were just as interesting as his print work.  Hizakura no Saku (1978) colour lithograph New Year Card - called nengajo (年賀状) in Japanese, these cards have been traditionally passed from person to person  since the Heian Period (794-1185). Mokuhanga practitioners make them as well, creating a new one every year focusing on the zodiac sign of the year as a theme. shina - is a type of wood used in mokuhanga. It is part of the linden family of trees. This wood is produced in various parts of the world, such as Japan and Russia. Not all shina is created equal so buyer beware. magnolia wood - a straight grained hard wood located in North America and Asia. more info, here. washi paper - (和紙) is a type of Japanese paper made with the fibres of either gampi, mitsumata, or mulberry. It is versatile and can be used in many ways.  International Mokuhanga Conference - is a bi-yearly conference dedicated to mokuhanga which started in 2011 by the International Mokuhanga Association. Each conference is themed. The latest conference was in 2021, delayed a year because of the pandemic. More information can be found, here.  Ralph Kiggell (1960-2022) -  was one of the most important mokuhanga practitioners to have made work. Originally from England, Ralph lived and worked in Thailand. Ralph pushed the boundaries of mokuhanga with extremely large pieces, jigsaw carving, and by using fantastic colour for his work. He also worked with the International Mokuhanga Conference to promote mokuhanga around the world. He will be greatly missed. Ralph's work can be found, here. His obituary in The Guardian can be found, here. His interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here. Pool Diver (1996) Keiko Hara - is an artist who works, and teaches in Walla Walla, Washington. She is a painter, and printmaker in various relief mediums, such as mokuhanga.  Untitled (2019) Keiko Kadota - (d. 2017) was a director of MI Lab and of Nagasawa Art Park, previously. She was a mentor to many mokuhanga practitioners and helped to promote mokuhanga around the world. MI Lab - is a mokuhanga residency located in Kawaguchi-ko, near Mount Fuji. More info can be found, here.  Kate MacDonagh - is an Irish mokuhanga printmaker based in Dublin, Ireland. Kanreki was an exhibition curated by Kate MacDonagh at The Model, Sligo. Kate's website. Katsutoshi Yuasa - is a printmaker and artist based in Tokyo, Japan. His work tends to be large scale, and created through photography, bits, and focuses on the overall "image" itself. His interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here. website, Instagram I-know-not-what (2022) oil-based mokuhanga kirazruri  - is a style of printing which uses mica to give a silver, glittering tone to the print. Mica is used as a lovely addition to your print. You can find more information, here.  Hiroki Satake - is a mokuhanga printmaker, and instructor based in Japan. He has taught at MI Lab, as well as given demonstrations regarding tool sharpening, around the world.  Carol Wilhide Justin - is a mokuhanga printmaker based in London, England. Her work focuses on the natural world and the process of making mokuhanga. Carol's interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.  Asemic Writing  Tochigi, Prefecture - is a Japanese Prefecture sandwiched between Saitama, Ibaraki, Fukushima, and Gunma Prefectures. It is famous for its autumnal leaves,  temples, and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nikkō. More info, here.  Nishijin - is an area in Fukuoka City known for its shopping district.  inaka (田舎) - is a Japanese word for “country-side.” Kurokawa Onsen (黒川温泉) - is a hot spring town located on the island of Kyushu, near Mount Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan. It is famous of its traditional style inns, hot springs, baths, and food. More info, here.   Beppu (別府市) - is a hot spring town located in Kyushu. More info, here. matsuri (祭り）- is the Japanese word for “festival.” Japan is a country famous of it's festivals. Each Prefecture, city, town, municipality has a special festival for their area, connected to the seasons, gods, or harvests.  Itoshima (糸島市) - is a city in Fukuoka Prefecture, popular for its beaches, surfing, and nature.  Northumberland, Britain - is a county located in the northernmost area of Britain. It shares a border with Scotland. It is known for its nature, industry, castles, and history. https://www.visitnorthumberland.com cyanotype -  a type of work which uses iron compounds, and when exposed to UV light creates various blues. More info, here.  Indigo dyeing - made famous in the Edo Period (1603-1968), indigo dyeing has been a part of Japanese handicrafts for a long time. Shikoku is famous for it, towns such as Mima, Wakimachi, Tokushima, amongst others continue to produce hand dyed garments of indigo.More info can be found, here, and here.  Awagami -  is arguably the largest paper making company in Japan at the moment. With a large International name, Awagami sponsors, and promotes its paper all over the world. More information can be found on its website, here.  88 Temple Pilgrimage - associated with the Buddhist priest Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai) [774-835]. It is one of the few circular pilgrimages in the world. You can walk, or drive the pilgrimage. You can also see it in parts, called kuguri-uchi. Essentially you can walk this pilgrimage in order, backwards or frontwards as they are all temples associated with Kūkai. If you do make the pilgrimage by foot, it is a commitment, but extremely rewarding. Pilgrims are called ō-henro. More info, here.   Ō-settai - are gifts, such as lodging, food, money, or clothing. They are given by non-pilgrims to pilgrims on they journey of the 88 Temples. More info can be found, here. QEST - is the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, and is given to British craftspeople who are given money to pursue training and education in their specific field and medium.  More info, here.  kōzo - is a paper made from the bark of the mulberry bush. It is used in mokuhanga frequently, and comes in various weights. YInMn - is a blue colour discovered by Professor Mas Subramanian in 2009.  Helen Frankenthaler (1928-2011) -  was an American abstract impressionist painter who enjoyed experimenting, discovering new ways of expression through paint. More info, here.  Echizen - is a region in Fukui Prefecture, Japan associated with Japanese paper making. It has a long history of paper making. There are many paper artisans in the area. One famous person is Iwano Ichibei whom Megan mentions in this episode. He is a Living National Treasure in paper making, and the ninth generation of his family still making paper today. More info can be found here in English, and here in Japanese.  Paul Furneaux - is a Scottish born mokuhanga printmaker and teacher who uses the medium of  mokuhanga in order to create pieces of work that are third dimensional, and abstract.  The Mokuhanga Sisters - are a mokuhanga collective consisting of Yoonmi Nam, Mariko Jesse, Lucy May Schofield, Melissa Schulenberg, Kate MacDonagh, Katie Baldwin, Mia-O, Patty Hudak, and Natasha Norman. Instagram Yasuyuki Sato - is the Chair of Center for the Science of Human Endeavor/CfSHE, and Director of the Mokuhanga Conference.  Yoonmi Nam (b. 1974) - is a contemporary mokuhanga printmaker, lithographer, sculptor, and teacher, based in Lawrence, Kansas. Her work can be found, here. Her interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here. More Beer...For Instance (2013) Katie Baldwin - a woodblock printmaker, letterpress, screen printer. website, Instagram Raft (shore) #2 (2013) Mariko Jesse - is an illustrator, and mokuhanga printmaker based in Tōkyō, London, and California. Her work can be found, here. Mariko is also a part of the collective, wood+paper+box, which can be found, here.  Between Times - folded screen with mokuhanga wood+paper+box - is a collaborative art group made up of Katie Baldwin, Mariko Jesse, and Yoonmi Nam. It is based on their experiences at Nagasawa Art Park, the precursor of MI Lab.  Patty Hudak - is an American artist who splits her time between Vermont and NYC, who works in installation, and mokuhanga. She has travelled the world, and is a part of three artist collectives. Patty's interview with The Unfinished Print can be found, here.    Melissa Schulenberg - is a woodblock printmaker and professor of Art and Art History at St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY. Some of her work can be found, here.  Newcastle University - is a public research university located in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Britain. London College of Printing - now called the London College of Communication, is an art college associated with the University of the Arts London.  Toshio Sayama - is an instructor at MI Lab as well as on the MI Lab Committee Board.  Borderless scroll - is the Mokuhanga Sisters collaborative scroll. Shown in Nara during the International Mokuhanga Conference, as well as at the Southern Vermont Art Center. nori - is a type of paste made from starch. It is usually used when making mokuhanga. You can make nori from any type of material made of starch. For instance, paste can be made with tapioca,  rice, corn, even potato. You can purchase nori pretty much anywhere but making it is more environmentally friendly. Laura Boswell has a great recipe, here.  bokashi -  is a Japanese term associated with the gradation of water into ink. There are several types of bokashi. For more information regarding these types of bokashi please check out Professor Claire Cuccio's lecture called “A Story in Layers,” for the Library of Congress, and the book Japanese Printmaking by Tōshi Yoshida, and Rei Yuki. Below are the following types of bokashi. This is from the Yoshida book: ichimonji bokashi - straight line gradation ichimonji mura bokashi - straight line gradation with an uneven edg. Ō-bokashi - a gradual shading over a wide area atenashi bokashi - gradation without definition futairo bokashi - two tone gradation Utamaro - A Prelude To Desire Series - is a series created by Kitagawa Utamaro (1750-1806) in 1799. His designs changed the whole perspective of shunga, erotic prints. Below is as print as designed by Utamaro and Lucy's self-produced print, Prelude To Desire IV.  shunga (春画)- is a type of mokuhanga which is connected with the ukiyo-e period of the Japanese print. The theme is sexuality, whether male-female, or male-male. Many print designers helped to create these prints, and were very popular.  Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) - born in Edo, Hiroshige is famous for his landscape series of that burgeoning city. The most famous series being, One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (1856-1859), and the landcape series, Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō (1833-1834). His work highlights bokashi, and bright colours. More info about his work can be found, here.  Ōmayagashi - from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo Northumberland National Park - is a park in Northumberland , England. It is considered a “dark skies” park where the night sky is preserved by having no artificial lighting in the area. Holbein -  is a pigment company with offices located in Japan, The United States, and Canada. They offer high end gouache, watercolour, and pigment pastes.  scrolls - called kakemono 掛物 or emakimono 絵巻物  in Japanese. These scrolls contain many different types of themes and subjects. More info can be found, here.  The Legend of Gisho Turner Design Gouache - is a company based in Osaka, Japan. The make acrylic and design (water based) gouache.  Oak gall - is a type of plant swelling, which can be found in various plants. Oak gall is made by the Gall Wasp. The ink and pigment made form oak gall has been used for centuries. hanshita - is a thin sheet of gampi paper that is pasted, reverse side, on a piece of wood. This is a guide, carved onto the block and is generally used for the key block and subsequent colour blocks. Methods such as acetate with water based pigment, can also be used rather than the thin gampi paper, which can cause misregistration if not pasted correctly. The Japanese Paper Place - is a Toronto based Japanese paper store servicing the Mokuhanga community for many years.  Interview with the Nancy Jacobi of the JPP can be found, here. Ozuwashi -  is a brick and mortar paper store located in the Nihonbashi district of Tōkyō. More info here. You can purchase all types of paper that Lucy mentions ion her interview, such as pansion, and sekishu. Chine-collé - is a two layered printmaking process where the paper is  placed onto an inked metal plated run through a press. More info, here.  © Popular Wheat Productions opening and closing musical credit - The Smiths - The Headmaster Ritual from the album Meat Is Murder (1985) logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny  Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :) Слава Україну If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know. ***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.***    

Lady Murasaki's Tale of Genji is one of the most celebrated novels in Japanese history. The story follows the life of Hikaru Genji, a child of nobility born into ancient Japan's Heian Period. It was written by a woman known only as Murasaki Shikibu, who lived during this tumultuous time and recorded the customs and details of court life. This episode is also available as a blog post: http://martinifisher.com/2022/09/06/what-happened-behind-lady-murasakis-tale-of-genji-discovering-the-secret-lives-and-times-of-11th-century-heian-japan/

A brand new venture can bring trepidation, and is never as straight forward as it may seem. That's something that I know all too well. On this episode of The Unfinished Print, I speak with curator, collector, and small business owner David Kutcher about his Japanese woodblock print gallery Moonlit Sea Prints. Located in Easthampton, Massachusetts, David opened his gallery to share his love of Japanese woodblokc prints. We discuss why he got involved with the Japanese woodblock, the background of the business, his own private collection, the competition, and how history plays a part in his business.  Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints Twitter @unfinishedprint, or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Moonlit Sea Prints - website, Instagram.  Night Fishing by Arai Yoshimune (1873-1935) - Arai Yoshimune was a woodblock print designer who designed for the Hasegawa/Nishinomiya publishing house. “Night Fishing” is one print in a series of popular shin-hanga style woodblock prints published in the early 1900's by Hasegawa/Nishinomiya of Tōkyō, called "Night Scenes". The series is made up of 21 prints. A fascinating article on this series can be found, here. Below is the "Fishing Boat," print from the this series.    Fuji Arts - is an online Japanese woodblock print store, for collectors and is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company has been in operation since 2000.  Connie Mack (1862-1956) - was an American professional baseball player and manager, and is the longest serving manager in baseball history.   Babe Ruth (1895-1948) - is arguably the greatest American baseball player of all time. Made famous for his time with the New York Yankees form 1920-1934. Is said to have hit his first ever home run here in Toronto in 1914 when baseball was played on the island, against the Toronto Maple Leafs (baseball club).  1934 Japan Baseball Tour - baseballs all stars of the time, including Connie Mack and Babe Ruth, went to Japan in 1934 to play on an “All American All-Stars” team. More information can be found here, with some footage.  Acidic and non acidic matting - acid is a natural occurring element within paper. Like food, some have more, some have less. For very acid-free paper you would be using paper made from cloth rag and containing a small amount of a chemical compound called “lingnin” which is in all paper. The more lignin, the more acid the paper has. You want to use an acid-free paper to protect your print or piece of art from yellowing and other damage. For a great read on the subject, you can check it out, here .  Starry Night by Takahashi Shōtei (1871-1945) - is a woodblock print, 6”x15” produced around 1926-1927.  Shōtei  designed woodblock prints for the Okura Shoten publishing house, and later for Maeba Shoten, finally designing some of his most famous prints, such as the one below, with Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962). I have seen this print with the 1926/27 year of production as well as a 1936 date as well. A biography of Shōtei can be found, here. Tōshi Yoshida (1911-1995) and the Franklin Mint - in the early 1980's Tōshi Yoshida, the eldest son of Hiroshi Yoshida (1876-1950) embarked on a collaboration with the Franklin Mint. A private mint (a place where currency is made) based in Pennsylvania. The series of prints are considered surimono (privately commissioned prints). The prints are three sets of prints, called The Friendly Garden, Birds of the Seasons, and the calendar prints of birds and flowers. The sizes seems to vary. In muy research i've seen some prints as being 13.5" x 21.5" for the calendar prints and 12" x 20" for Birds of the Seasons. You can see some of these prints here.   print sizes - Japanese print sizes vary. The following are from the book, “The Printed Image: the Flowering of Japan's Woodblock Print Culture, (2018). ōban - 15” x 10” chūban - 10.4” x 7.5” ōtanzaku - 15.3” x 7” chūtanzaku - 15.3” x 5.2” For a larger and more extensive list you can find that, here, at artelino.com Japan in the 1950's - coming out of the second world war, Japan was slowly beginning to recover ecenomically. Starting with the U.S/Japan security alliance, called the San Fransisco Peace Treaty of 1951. By the late 1950's, and well into the late 1960's, with the help of the United States, Japan's GDP began to grow exponentially. A few economic reasons were for this. First, the US market was opened to Japanese exporters, leading to protectionism by a stregthening Japanese bureaucracy, enabling the Japanese government to control domestic and international production. Second, is what Jeff Kingston calls  “industrial targeting.” This is where the Japanese government would focus on certain sectors deemed to be vital to economic growth, thereby giving private loans which in turn would create strength in Japanese infrastructure like heavy industry, crude-oil and natural gas. This also enabled the cartel system by creating fixed cliques which as a matter of course, were open to corruption. These cartels (zaibatsu) played a large part in the fascist Japanese war machine, but with their connections with American corporations and being anti-Communist, the American post-war occupying government saw these zaibatsu as an asset to Japanese growth. Companies that had connections to militarist Japan are, Mitsui, Mitsubishi, and Hitachi to name a few. This growth that began in the 1950's, continued until the Japanese economic bubble burst in 1989. For more information on Japan's economic history check out Jeff Kingston's 2019 book, called Japan: Polity Histories. Moonlit Sea by Shoda Koho (1871-1946) - Koho was the designer of this famous print. Little seems to be known about this print designer who published his designs with Nishinomiya Yosaku, also known as the Hasegawa Publishing Co.  Jimbōchō -  is an area in the city of Tōkyō. Located in Chiyoda. It is an area made famous for its bookstores, where you can buy vintage, used, and new books of all genres. Some information can be found, here. Toyohara Kunichika (1835-1900) - considered to be the last ukiyo-e designer. Known as an incredible talent and having his own demons, Kunichika studied under Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865) and lived and died in Tōkyō. His work is powerful, bombastic, and colourful. His triptychs at times broke from the single panel sheet traditoin of one image per sheet, where one image for Kunichika could take up all three panels. More information can be found, here. The Museums of Liverpool have a new Kunichika exhibition from April 15, 2022 - September 4, 2022. The print below is Onoe Kikugoro V as Akashi no Naruzo (1890) Yoshikazu Utagawa (dates unknown but active from 1850-1870) - famous for his Yokohama-e prints, prints that focused on the foreigners in Yokohama City in the 19th Century. Yoshikazu also made triptychs of tengu (long nose trickster forest goblins), and other demons. The triptych below is, Yoshitsune on Mount Kurama. Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159-1189) - was a leader of the Minamoto clan, associated with the period of warrinhg between the Minamoto and the Taira clans during the Heian Period (794-1185). Yoshitsune's history, like many individuals of that historical period in Japanese history, is mixed with legend and is difficult to know what is true and what is not. Many woodblock prints were made describing his military prowess, as well as his adventures with his friend Benkei.  Some history of Yoshitsune can be found, here.  intaglio printmaking - is a style of printmaking, the opposite of relief printmaking, where scratches are made with a burin on the plate (copper, zinc, aluminum) and then dipped in acid. Ink and pigment is rubbed on with a brayer, brushes, etc. More info can be found, here. Kawase Hasui (1883-1957) - a designer of more than six hundred woodblock prints, Kawase Hasui is one of the most famous designers of the shin-hanga movement of the early twentieth century. Hasui began his career with the artist and woodblock designer Kaburaki Kiyokata (1878-1971), joining several artistic societies along the way early in his career. It wasn't until he joined the Watanabe atelier in 1918 that he really began to gain recognition. Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962) had Hasui design landscapes of the Japanese country-side, small towns, and everyday life. Hasui also worked closely with the carvers and printers of his prints to reach the level Hasui wanted his prints to be. The print below is Kude Beach, Wakasa (1920) Tsuchiya Kōitsu (1870 - 1949) - apprenticed under artist and print designer Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915), and worked as a lithographer. Kōitsu then joined the Watanabe atelier in 1935. Kōitsu also collaborated with Doi Sadachi publishers, amongst others. Below is Suma Beach (1938) James Abbott McNeil Whistler (1834-1903) - was an American painter based in Britain. His paintings are generally of landscapes of lonely terrain, as well as of portraits. His most famous painting is of his mother.  His complete works can be found, here.  Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) - born in Edo, Hiroshige is famous for his landscape series of that burgeoning city. The most famous series being, One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (1856-1859), and the landcape series, Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō (1833-1834). His work highlights bokashi, and bright colours. More info about his work can be found, here. Below is, Coastal Landscape In Moonlight (1857) Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) -  was a Viennese born artist who was a part of the art nouveau, and Vienna Secessionist movements.  His subjects were, generally, of women. More information can be found, here. Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) - was a Dutch post-Impressionist painter. He began to collect Japanese woodblock prints around the winter of 1886-1887 from the art dealer Siegfried Bing, to collect and to sell for a profit, although he didn't sell very many. This collection would go on to influence much of his work.  Red Fuji - also called “Fine Wind, Clear Morning,” is a woodblock print designed by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) and made around 1830-1832.  The Great Wave off Kanagawa - is a woodblock print designed by Katsushika Hokusai in 1831. It is very famous.  Hokusai Updated - was an exhibition held at the Mori Art Museum in the Roppongi area of Tōkyō which ran from January, 17th, 2019 to March, 24th, 2019.  Hokusai manga - first published in 1814 these comical figures, lansdscapes, flowers, and other various images were created by the woodblock designer and artist Katsushika Hokusai. Beginning with Volume 1, “Transmitting the Spirit and Revealing the Form of Things,” the series became impressively popular and was continually produced, in fifteen volumes, until 1878, and in woodblock print form.  More information from the Princeton Library can be found, here.  Kawanabe Kyōsai (1831-1889) - was a woodblock print designer and painter who focused on dark, devious, ghostly images and even some war prints.  Kyōsai's work has had a resurgence the passed decade with many people outside of the woodblock print community. More information can be found, here. Below is his triptych, Demon's Out. The Western influence on the Japanese print market - Western collectors have had a deep affinity for Japanese woodblock prints since the late 19th Century. In 1891, the print curator of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts held a Japanese print exhibition at the Smithsonian and in many ways, helped usher in a love for the Japanese woodblock print in America. As the popularity of Japanese woodblock prints began to grow, with more foreign artists living and working in Japan and abroad, such as Emil Orlik (1870-1932), Bertha Lum (1869-1954), and Helen Hyde (1868-1919) who started making their own woodblock prints. This new awareness of contemporary and vintage Japanese woodblock prints began to foster more collecting. As time has gone on, and with the Japanese woodblock print becoming so famous in the West, prices in Japan have begun to climb steadily, with more collectors in Japan collecting woodblock prints.   sensō-e - are Japanese woodblock prints which focus on war. They can be single panel, diptych and triptych's. Complicated woodblock techniques were used, which highlighted war, specifically the first  Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895). Artists such as Kobayashi Kiyochika designed prints for this war, the beginning of the Japanese Imperialist project. More information can be found, here. Below is Great Victory and Occupation of Jiuliancheng (1894) by Watanabe Nobukazu (1874-1944)  Shirō Kasamatsu (1898-1991) - was a woodblock print designer who worked with the Watanabe atelier making shin-hanga designs. Below is Mount Wakakusa (ca. 1930) and Mountains Cottage in Spring (ca. 1960's) Floating World Gallery - is a Chicago-based  brick and mortar / online Japanese woodblock print outlet in operation since 1987.  Focusing on all genres of Japanese woodblock prints. More info, here.  Crosseyed Gallery - is a Los Angeles based woodblock print online store. More info, here.   Art Walk: Easthampton, Massachusetts - is a monthly art walk held the first Friday of the month and created by Easthampton City Arts. They arrange arts programming and cultural events. More info, here.  Pillar prints  - also called hashira-e (柱絵), are prints which have the shape of scrolls but are smaller. They are 4.5” x 28” and were attached to pillars in Japanese homes. Associated with the 18th Century. More info can be fond, here. Below is Cherry and the Moon, by Yoshimoto Gesso (ca. 1910-1930) Yoshimoto Gesso (1881-1936) - was a shin-hanga print designer who designed many landscapes, birds, and flowers. More info, here. Below is his Blue Bird and Asters (ca.1930's) surimono (摺物)-  are privately commissioned woodblock prints, usually containing specialty techniques such as mica, and blind embossing. Below is Heron and Iris, (ca. 1770's) by Andō Hiroshige (1797-1858). This print is from David Bull's reproduction of that work. You can find more info about that project, here.  Ronin Gallery - is a NYC based Japanese woodblock print brick and mortar, online shop, and was established in 1975. More info can be found, here.  Taoist alchemy -  also called nei-dun, is a type of internal alchemy in Taoism which purports to give the initiate a long life. External alchemy in Taoism is called wai-dan which uses herbs and minerals to promote a long life. More info can be found, here.    © Popular Wheat Productions opening and closing credit sound - I am listening to the CBC's IDEAS podcast and the episode is called "Madame Blavatsky: Intellect, Adventurer, Occultist...Fraud. This can be found on any podcast platform.  logo designed and produced by Douglas Batchelor and André Zadorozny  Disclaimer: Please do not reproduce or use anything from this podcast without shooting me an email and getting my express written or verbal consent. I'm friendly :) Слава Україну If you find any issue with something in the show notes please let me know. ***The opinions expressed by guests in The Unfinished Print podcast are not necessarily those of André Zadorozny and of Popular Wheat Productions.*** Bibliography: Forrer, Matthi, Michael Scuffil, and Adele Schlombs. The Printed Image: The Flowering of Japan's Woodblock Printing Culture. Köln: Buchhandlung Walther König, 2018. Marks, Andreas, Chiaki Ajioka, and Elisabeth Sövik. Seven Masters: 20th-Century Japanese Woodblock Prints from the Wells Collection. Minneapolis, MN: Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2015. Martin, Katherine. Highlights of Japanese Printmaking, Part 3: The International Perspective.Scholten Japanese Art, 2008. Uhlenbeck, Chris, Louis van Tilborgh, Shigeru Oikawa, Lynne Richards, and Diane Webb. Japanese Prints: The Collection of Vincent Van Gogh. London: Thames & Hudson, 2018.  

By the late Heian Period, the four most influential temples in Japan all fielded their own private armies and frequently clashed with one another and with the government as well. One of the most famous Sohei (Warrior Monk) would become the close companion of a legendary Minamoto warrior.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/AHistoryOfJapan)

Komainu refer to the lion statues that are commonly found at the entrances of Japanese or Shinto temples. These statues are often called lion-dogs or sand komainu. They can be found in both the outer and inner portions of Shinto shrines. The first type, born during the Edo period is called sandō komainu and the second and much older type is called jinnai komainu. They can also be found at private homes, Buddhist shrines and places associated with nobility. Modern komainu statues are almost identical, except for the mouths. In most cases, they have the same shape, though exceptions exist. Two forms are called a-gyo and un-gyo.The name Komainu translates to Chinese guardian lions. They are believed to have been inspired by the images of Asiatic lions that were brought to China from India and the Middle East and especially from symbolism associated with Emperor Ashoka of India. The symbol of strength became a prominent feature of the animal after its transportation along the Silk Road.There are many types of komainu, such as those with coins in their mouths or on their paws. In other places, they have bibs around them like statues of Jizo and Nagasaki. Komainu are often in pairs, with one male and one female. In the Heian Period these were called komainu and the hornless ones were called shishi, lions, though nowadays both are referred to as komainu.During the Nara period, which is similar to the rest of Asia, two lions always accompanied each other. These pairs were only used indoors until the 14th century. During the Heian period, the two statues were different, and the former was called "shishi" because it had open mouth, while the latter was referred to as komainu or goguryeo dog. Probably the most common form of komainu that appears nowadays are the stone ones that are guarding the approach-ways of shrines.There are definite differences in the styles of komainu found at major shrines and rural areas, as well as the artists who create these works. There are many styles that refer to regions in Japan, some of which are very distinctive and some of which are beginning to disappear. One particular style that is becoming less popular is the Izumo style where the lions are not sitting but depicted as crouching with their rear end up in the air. The Okazaki style is considered to be the standardised style now and common all over Japan.Similar structures are seen all across Asia especially in China, Kores, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and India.Read about the Komainu at https://mythlok.com/komainu-the-lion-dog/

Tendai Buddhism was on the rise during the later Heian Period, and its internal conflicts were growing more intense. Could anyone heal the rifts that grew between Enryakuji and Miidera, or were the two temples doomed to eternal conflict?For drawings and paintings of Ryogen and Genshin, check out the supplemental post!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/AHistoryOfJapan)

JK Rowling had it wrong when she set the HP world in England, the real-life wizarding world was in Japan They had a ministry of magic and a school and all that jazz!! I'm so serious!!!  https://www.instagram.com/ (Instagram) https://www.patreon.com/fortheloveofhistorypodcast?fan_landing=true (Patreon) https://linktr.ee/fortheloveofhistory (Link Tree) Email: fortheloveofhistory2020@gmail.com Further Reading https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/nfile/4243 (The Development of Early Modern Onmyōdō) The Magical Practice of Onmyōdō and Its Checkered History https://japanesemythology.wordpress.com/2012/09/23/onmyodo-and-onmyoji-legendary-magicians-and-diviners-of-the-heian-period/amp/ (Onmyodo and onmyoji, legendary magicians and diviners of the Heian Period) https://www.jstor.org/stable/41955532?seq=1=%27/c/pagans-witches/tag/page_scan_tab_contents/%27%3E#page_scan_tab_contents (Uncovering "Shikigami": The Search for the Spirit Servant of Onmyōdō) http://hushicho.captainn.net/onmy/index.html (Just in case you want to become an onmyoji!) ; P

On this episode of the Books on Asia Podcast, sponsored by Stone Bridge Press, we have guest interviewer Lisa Wilcut speaking with award-winning writer and translator Meredith McKinney. McKinney is translator of many Japanese classics such as Sei Shonagon's 11th-century "The Pillow Book" and the 14th-century "Essays in Idleness," which was published along with "Hōjōki." She has also translated "Kusamakura" and "Kokoro" (see our review) by Natsume Sōseki, one of Japan's most celebrated modern writers. Today, she is going to talk about her long career and also about her just-released book on the wandering poet Saigyō called "Gazing at the Moon" (Shambala, September, 2021).The Books on Asia Podcast is sponsored by Stone Bridge Press, publisher of fine books on Asia for over 30 years. Subscribe to the Books on Asia Podcast.About the InterviewerLisa Wilcut is a writer, editor, translator, and educator based in Yokohama. She writes and edits works on Japanese culture for both scholarly and general audiences and teaches courses in Japanese society and culture as well as philosophy at the University of Maryland Global Campus in Yokosuka. She holds an MA in Japanese language and literature from Stanford University and an MA in philosophy from San Francisco State University. She also writes short fiction and poetry. Find her on LinkedIn.

We continue our survey episodes this week by taking a closer look at the state of the clergy and the samurai in the later Heian Period. Big changes are coming for both Buddhism and the warrior caste which will eventually change the nation forever.For pictures of Hakata Bay as well as the monument marking the place where Dazaifu Fortress once stood, check out the supplemental post!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/AHistoryOfJapan)

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, Colton Runyan of the University of Cambridge talks to us about his experiences training and competing in sumo, as well asl his research on Heian era physical competitions. About Colton Runyan Colton Runyan is a Phd candidate at the University of Cambridge and a sumo wrestler who has competed in Japanese college sumo and as part of the US National team. His dissertation research focuses on sporting events of the Heian period. Topics Discussed How Colton Runyan first got into sumo The charity sumo tournament in Akita Prefecture that Colton took part in during his time in the JET Programme What Colton liked about sumo Progressing and improving in sumo Doing sumo training at Nihon University Doing sumo training at a junior high school Teaching, training and competing in sumo in US and other counties Going back to Japan to receive proper sumo training Meeting Konishiki Competing in a college sumo tournament in Japan while a student at Saitama University The different paths people take into professional sumo The grueling nature of sumo training The most frustrating aspect of sumo training for Colton Deciding to go to Cambridge and doing research on sumo Researching the social, political and economic importance of physical competitions (sumo, horseracing, archery) during the Heian period Historical records from Japan's Heian period that document sumo A notable sumo tournament from 1013 Fujiwara no Michiga's interest in horseracing Archery in the Heian period Historical misconceptions about sumo The caring and fun nature of sumo wrestlers And much more! Support on Patreon If you enjoy Japan Station and want to ensure that we're able to produce more episodes, then please consider becoming a patron on Patreon.com. For a minimum pledge of $1 a month you'll get early access to all JapanKyo podcasts, bonus content, and more. And for $3 a month, you'll get access to Japanese Plus Alpha, a podcast produced by me (Tony Vega) that focuses on the Japanese language and all of its fascinating quirks. Also, all pledges get a shout-out on the show and my undying gratitude. Thank you in advance! Support Japan Station on Patreon Links, Videos, Etc. To read the Japan Times article about Colton Runyan, use the link below. Sumo makes its way to Cambridge as former U.S. wrestler studies sport's ancient role To read the Wasabi article about Konishiki written by Tony Vega, use the link below. Konishiki: Then & Now (February-March 2018 issue of Wasabi) To listen to the latest episode of the Transmissions from Hawaii podcast, use the link below. Memoir of a Hilo Waterman: The Amazing Life of Hawaii Swimmer, Author & Educator Richard “Sonny” Tanabe | Transmissions from Hawaii 07 Don't forget to check out the latest episode of the Ichimon Japan podcast. Why do hands come out of the toilet in Japan? (About Japanese toilet hands, ghosts, yokai and urban legends) | Ichimon Japan 51 If you would like to support the show by picking up some merchandise, make sure to visit KimitoDesigns.com. KimitoDesigns.com Special Thanks Opening/Closing song: Oedo Controller (大江戸コントローラー) by Yunomi featuring Toriena (Used with permission from Yunomi) To listen to more of Yunomi's music, check out his Soundcloud page or YouTube channel. Japan Station cover art: Provided by Erik R. Featured image: Courtesy of Colton Runyan Follow Japankyo on Social Media Facebook (@JapankyoNews) Twitter (@JapankyoNews) Full Show Notes Get the full version of show notes at https://www.japankyo.com/category/podcasts/japanstation/

Life in the later Heian may have been a near-constant party for the aristocratic nobility, but what was it like for those on the bottom rungs of Heian society? In this episode we will explore the lives of the common folk who made the lavish lifestyle of the nobles possible through their backbreaking labor.For pictures of pig iron, the special bellows used to refine iron sand, and two swords that date to the Heian Period, check out the supplemental post!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/AHistoryOfJapan)

The first of three survey-style episodes describing life in the later Heian Period. In this episode, we will explore the flowering of Japanese culture that occurred among the nobility of the later Heian Period, as well as their relationships with aesthetics, romance, marriage, and architecture.For pictures of Shinzen-Zukuri architecture and Heian-style kimonos, check out the supplemental post!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/AHistoryOfJapan)

In the final episode of this season, we take a closer look at some of the creative side of the early Heian Period, including poems, visual arts, and the creation of two Japanese alphabets which are still in use today.You can read selections from the Kokin Wakashu courtesy of the University of Virginia here.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/AHistoryOfJapan)

In this episode, we will examine the origins and development of the two samurai clans who would come to dominate the later Heian Period and eventually vie with one another for control of the nation.For pictures of the crests of these clans, as well as a map of the Kantō, check out the supplemental post!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/AHistoryOfJapan)

In this episode, we will take a short break from the narrative and examine the reign of  Confucian problem-solver Emperor Kammu, arguably the most effective sovereign of the Heian Period.To see a few pictures of reconstructions of Kammu-Tennō's new capital, check out the supplemental post!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/AHistoryOfJapan)

Today we continue our journey through the story of the Japanese islandsThere are several specific topics that I would like to take a deeper dive into but I want to make sure that we have some basic ground covered before we get too deep into it.Throughout these 13 episodes, We will cover the entire span of Japanese history, from the early hunter-gatherers of the Jomon to the Newest Era, Reiwa. This will introduce the general outline of Japanese  history for those who are not familiar and will begin to contextualize famous events and people Music Credits: Opening: The Wind by Komiku Closing: Escaping_like_Indiana_Jones by Komiku

A lowly servant stands beneath Rashōmon Gate, waiting for a break in the rain. Notes: A raccoon dog, or tanuki, is neither a racoon nor a dog, and like the fox it is regarded in Japan as a trickster animal. "Kimono" literally translates as "thing for wearing" and as such refers to an ungendered garment. The Heian Period was from 794 to 1185, when Kyōto ("Capital City") was the capital of Japan, which it remained for over a thousand years, before the royals moved east to Tōkyō ("Eastern Capital"). This story was first published in 1915. I've tried to keep the translation as close to the original text (his newest version) as possible. I could go on about it, but I won't. Sound: Astounded Christopher J Astbury Switzerland

Jon continues his new series all by himself! Its Japanese History for Gaijins. Ever wanted to learn about the history of Japan, but history books too boring? Always thought samurai weren't your style? Well lets learn about Japan together in a lighthearted and fun way! This is episode 7, and we're entering the Heian Period, the period of Peace and Tranquillity, so what better to talk about than civil wars, murderous plots, and the Emperor who can be polity termed a serial killer in the making. All this and more on Japanese History for Gaijins! Article link for Ronald P Toby on J-Store : https://www.jstor.org/stable/2384764?seq=1 

We'll be taking things back to the Heian Period this week for the story of the great rebel Taira no Masakado. His rebellion, however, is only half the story -- after he dies, things get very interesting indeed...  

This week's episode will discuss the Heian Period (794-1185), one of the golden ages of Japanese history. We'll talk about the politics and culture of the period, covering the structure of government, literary styles, and why it is that I think the Tale of Genji is kind of creepy.

Part five of our Introduction to Japanese History series covers the Heian period. The Heian period (794AD-1185AD) is named after Heian-kyo (present day Kyoto). The Heian period is known for it's art, literature, and poetry, as well as the spread of Tendai and Shingon Buddhism. Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/samuraiarchives Mentioned in this podcast: Mason, Penelope. History of Japanese Art Published jointly by Prentice Hall and Harry N. Abrams, Inc. October 4, 2004 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0131176013 Ooms, Herman. Imperial Politics and Symbolics in Ancient Japan: The Tenmu Dynasty, 650-800 Univ of Hawaii Press, October 2008 http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0824832353 Support this podcast: Shop Amazon.com, suport the podcast: http://amzn.to/wnDX2j Samurai Archives Bookstore: http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20 Samurai Archives Shop (T-Shirts, etc) http://www.cafepress.com/samuraiarchives Contact Us: Twitter @SamuraiArchives https://twitter.com/#!/samuraiarchives Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Samurai-Archives/104533213984 Samurai Archives podcast blog: http://www.samuraipodcast.com Samurai Archives Forum: http://www.japanhistoryforum.com

John Wallace, UC Berkeley

John Wallace, UC Berkeley