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Japan Times
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
'Ukiyo-e in Play' showcases traditional art carved anew
On the second floor of an unassuming building in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, three young artisans sit cross-legged on tatami, working. They scrub cherry wood with hog hair before inspecting, scrubbing again, then painting and pressing. It's near silent but for the gentle bristle and crackle of brush, wood and paper. We are in the Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints, an institution specializing in the traditional production of ukiyo-e. Propped up on zabuton pillows and hunched over modest wooden workstations, the artisans — who all happen to women in their 20s this day — are practicing an age-old craft using the exact same method as when the art form was first popularised over 350 years ago. But it's not just reproductions of Hokusai's 'Great Wave' or Edo landscapes that these artisans are diligently crafting. Since the early 1970s, the Adachi Institute has been working on creating brand new ukiyo-e prints in collaboration with contemporary artists. Now, they are exhibiting the resulting 162 prints by 85 artists in 'Ukiyo-e in Play,' an exhibition at the Tokyo National Museum that runs through June 15. The range of work is international and stylistically diverse. We see woodblock versions of Yayoi Kusama's polka dot Mount Fuji, Tadanori Yokoo's expressive oil paintings and Mono-ha pioneer Lee Ufan's conceptual color studies. Elsewhere, the relationship between ukiyo-e and manga is observed through prints by artists such as the late Mizuki Shigeru, creator of the manga series 'GeGeGe no Kitaro.' We also see iconic works take on new forms of expression in prints based on sculptures by Antony Gormley and Izumi Kato. These works are spread across two floors, covering the method behind ukiyo-e, its development over the years to the present and the stories behind today's crosscultural projects. Part of the Adachi Institute's mission is to push the limits of the ukiyo-e art form, train young artisans and inspire artists to ensure the craft's survival. | 'Ukiyo-e in Play' Exhibition Venue Photo 'All 162 works were made right here, in this studio,' says Koko Nakayama, curator at the Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints. The team worked closely with Fumio Nanjo, a longtime collaborator and the curator of 'Ukiyo-e in Play.' 'In the West, printmaking is regarded as a subcategory of painting, but in Japan, it is one of the important art forms,' says the former director of the Mori Art Museum. 'With this exhibition we are trying to show that ukiyo-e print culture is quite an independent art form and there is a total ecosystem to support it.' The process requires three integral roles — the artist, the carver and the printer — plus the publisher who oversees the production. Each step brings its own set of challenges. Carving demands patience and precision to form intricate lines less than a millimeter wide to create details as defined as a single strand of hair. Printing requires both strength and sensitivity — balancing pressure and pigment to bring the image to life. The materials are specific, too: cherry wood, water-based pigment paints and handcrafted washi paper made in Fukui Prefecture by Ichibei Iwano — 'a living national treasure,' according to Nakayama. Part of the Adachi Institute's mission is to push the limits of this art form, beyond the centuries-old work of masters like Hokusai and Hiroshige. 'We try to bring in different types of expression to explore new possibilities — we don't want to just make copies,' says Nakayama. For example, contemporary painter Ayako Rokkaku layers acrylic directly onto canvas using only her fingers. When she first started, she was curious to see whether a woodblock print could capture the roughness of her brushless strokes and overlapping paints. In an interview displayed alongside her work at the exhibition, Rokkaku reflects on the surprising outcome: 'I became more aware of the rhythms and the edges of shapes in my work. ... (The craftspeople) showed me the fluctuations in those areas and how they separated the ambiguous parts.' A woodblock version of Tadanori Yokoo's "Hanshan and Shide Part III" (2023) is among the162 prints by 85 artists on display at 'Ukiyo-e in Play.' | © Tadanori Yokoo Like Rokkaku's, many of the Adachi Institute's ukiyo-e re-creations are ambitious: Kiki Smith's print, for example, took about three years to complete — not only because it is so intricate but because of the multiple moving elements of the collaboration. Titled 'Paper Wasps Nest,' it depicts a hive made up of whisper thin lines, balanced among branches against a soft gradient wash. 'The carving alone takes a long time, and the printing even more,' says Nakayama. 'Some works are printed over 30 times to achieve subtle gradations.' This, along with the continuous back-and-forth between the artisans and an overseas artist, makes for a lengthy process. In Antony Gormley's case, the sculptor wanted to achieve a specific monochrome gradation that was difficult with the ukiyo-e method, so he decided to paint the backdrop himself and have the printer press his trademark ghostly figure on top of it. 'That became a true collaboration,' Nakayama says. Mone Sasaki, one of the printers working at the Adachi Institute, enjoys this creative challenge of adapting a wholly different work of art. "When I first receive the artwork, I start thinking about how I can re-create it. I have to consider the colors and how to express the artistry. ... Of course, it's difficult, but I enjoy thinking through those challenges.' For Nakayama, who grew up surrounded by ukiyo-e — her great uncle founded the Adachi Institute — the most exciting part of the process is unraveling the sheer level of technical mastery. 'It's hard to believe it's done by human hands,' she says. 'The prints come out almost identical — 100 copies that are all exactly the same. These days, artists talk about uniqueness, but in our tradition, uniqueness isn't allowed. The goal is perfect repetition.' The range of work showcased at 'Ukiyo-e in Play' is international and stylistically diverse. | 'Ukiyo-e in Play' Exhibition Venue Photo That level of precision remains one of the craft's most astonishing qualities. In an art world overflowing with digital tools and means of instant reproduction, this inherited method is a sharp contrast. It's this tension that drew Canadian digital artist Michah Dowbak, aka Mad Dog Jones, to woodblock printing. He selected one of his most recognizable digital artworks, 'Replicator.' Ukiyo-e is the 'perfect' medium for it, he says, because the piece contemplates human relationships with technology. 'Re-creating this piece with the Adachi Institute brings a fresh interpretation to a series that has been at the forefront of technology,' Dowbak says. 'A moment to reflect not only on whether something is worth replicating but also on why it should be.' Like all traditional crafts in Japan, ukiyo-e is in decline. There is decreasing demand in the contemporary market, production costs are high and materials used to make washi paper, which are indigenous to certain regions, are becoming endangered. That's why this exhibition, and the Adachi Institute's efforts to train young artisans and inspire artists, is so vital to the craft's survival. 'People should learn that craftsmanship is not achieved in one day,' says Nanjo. 'Traditional craftsmanship should be preserved and protected by creating a new ecosystem, making new products to develop a new market. With this exhibition I hope that more people will be interested in existing crafts and think about how to pass them on to the next generation.' Back at the Adachi Institute, the printers are quietly cleaning their tools, finishing the last of their morning tasks before lunch. In this small but sunny tatami room, it's hard not to feel the weight of tradition. With each gesture, material and pigment, these young artisans are carrying handed-down techniques into the present, shifting and adapting them to inspire future generations of craftspeople, artists and art aficionados to come. 'Ukiyo-e in Play' is currently on view through June 15 at the Tokyo National Museum in Taito Ward. For more information, visit
Hindustan Times
29-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
Man rescued from Japan's tallest peak goes back up to retrieve his phone, has to be rescued again
A man in his 20s was airlifted from Japan's Mount Fuji then rescued again from its steep slopes just days later because he returned to find his phone, according to media reports. Police told AFP the Chinese university student, who lives in Japan, was found Saturday by another off-season hiker on a trail more than 3,000 metres (9,800 feet) above sea level. "He was suspected of having altitude sickness and was taken to hospital," a police spokesman in Shizuoka region said on Monday. Later, officers discovered that the man was the same one who had been rescued on Mount Fuji four days previously, private broadcaster TBS and other media outlets reported. Police could not immediately confirm the reports, which said the man -- having been rescued by helicopter on Tuesday -- returned on Friday to retrieve his mobile phone, which he forgot to bring with him during the first rescue. It was not known whether he was able to find his phone in the end, said the reports, citing unnamed sources. Mount Fuji, an active volcano and Japan's highest peak, is covered in snow for most of the year. Its hiking trails are open from early July to early September, a period when crowds trudge up the steep, rocky slopes through the night to see the sunrise. People are dissuaded from hiking outside of the summer season because conditions can be treacherous. The symmetrical 3,776-metre mountain has been immortalised in countless artworks, including Hokusai's "Great Wave". It last erupted around 300 years ago. In a bid to prevent overcrowding on Mount Fuji, authorities last year brought in an entry fee and cap on numbers for the most popular Yoshida Trail. Starting this summer, hikers on any of Mount Fuji's four main trails will be charged an entry fee of 4,000 yen ($27).
RTÉ News
28-04-2025
- RTÉ News
Man rescued from Mount Fuji twice in one week
A man in his 20s who was airlifted from Japan's Mount Fuji had to be rescued from its steep slopes again just days later because he returned to find his phone, according to media reports. Police told AFP the Chinese university student, who lives in Japan, was found on Saturday by another off-season hiker on a trail more than 3,000 metres above sea level. "He was suspected of having altitude sickness and was taken to hospital," a police spokesman in Shizuoka region said. Later, officers discovered that the man was the same one who had been rescued on Mount Fuji four days previously, private broadcaster TBS and other media outlets reported. Police could not immediately confirm the reports, which said the man - having been rescued by helicopter last Tuesday - returned on Friday to retrieve his mobile phone, which he forgot to bring with him during the first rescue. It was not known whether he was able to find his phone in the end, said the reports, citing unnamed sources. Mount Fuji, an active volcano and Japan's highest peak, is covered in snow for most of the year. Its hiking trails are open from early July to early September, a period when crowds trudge up the steep, rocky slopes through the night to see the sunrise. People are dissuaded from hiking outside of the summer season because conditions can be treacherous. The symmetrical 3,776-metre mountain has been immortalised in countless artworks, including Hokusai's "Great Wave". It last erupted around 300 years ago. In a bid to prevent overcrowding on Mount Fuji, authorities last year brought in an entry fee and cap on numbers for the most popular Yoshida Trail. Starting this summer, hikers on any of Mount Fuji's four main trails will be charged an entry fee of 4,000 yen (€24.50).
Gulf Today
28-04-2025
- Gulf Today
Man rescued from Mount Fuji twice in one week after he returned to find his lost phone
A man in his 20s was airlifted from Japan's Mount Fuji then rescued again from its steep slopes just days later because he returned to find his phone, according to media reports. Police told AFP the Chinese university student, who lives in Japan, was found on Saturday by another off-season hiker on a trail more than 3,000 metres (9,800 feet) above sea level. "He was suspected of having altitude sickness and was taken to hospital," a police spokesman in Shizuoka region said on Monday. Later, officers discovered that the man was the same one who had been rescued on Mount Fuji four days previously, private broadcaster TBS and other media outlets reported. Police could not immediately confirm the reports, which said the man — having been rescued by helicopter on Tuesday — returned on Friday to retrieve his mobile phone, which he forgot to bring with him during the first rescue. It was not known whether he was able to find his phone in the end, said the reports, citing unnamed sources. Mount Fuji, an active volcano and Japan's highest peak, is covered in snow for most of the year. Its hiking trails are open from early July to early September, a period when crowds trudge up the steep, rocky slopes through the night to see the sunrise. People are dissuaded from hiking outside of the summer season because conditions can be treacherous. The symmetrical 3,776-metre mountain has been immortalised in countless artworks, including Hokusai's "Great Wave". It last erupted around 300 years ago. In a bid to prevent overcrowding on Mount Fuji, authorities last year brought in an entry fee and cap on numbers for the most popular Yoshida Trail. Starting this summer, hikers on any of Mount Fuji's four main trails will be charged an entry fee of 4,000 yen ($27). Agence France-Presse
The Star
28-04-2025
- The Star
Man rescued from Mount Fuji twice in one week: reports
The hiker was found on April 26 by another hiker on a trail over 3,000 metres above sea level. -- PHOTO: AFP TOKYO (AFP): A man in his 20s was airlifted from Japan's Mount Fuji then rescued again from its steep slopes just days later because he returned to find his phone, according to media reports. Police told AFP the Chinese university student, who lives in Japan, was found Saturday by another off-season hiker on a trail more than 3,000 metres (9,800 feet) above sea level. "He was suspected of having altitude sickness and was taken to hospital," a police spokesman in Shizuoka region said on Monday. Later, officers discovered that the man was the same one who had been rescued on Mount Fuji four days previously, private broadcaster TBS and other media outlets reported. Police could not immediately confirm the reports, which said the man -- having been rescued by helicopter on Tuesday -- returned on Friday to retrieve his mobile phone, which he forgot to bring with him during the first rescue. It was not known whether he was able to find his phone in the end, said the reports, citing unnamed sources. Mount Fuji, an active volcano and Japan's highest peak, is covered in snow for most of the year. Its hiking trails are open from early July to early September, a period when crowds trudge up the steep, rocky slopes through the night to see the sunrise. People are dissuaded from hiking outside of the summer season because conditions can be treacherous. The symmetrical 3,776-metre mountain has been immortalised in countless artworks, including Hokusai's "Great Wave". It last erupted around 300 years ago. In a bid to prevent overcrowding on Mount Fuji, authorities last year brought in an entry fee and cap on numbers for the most popular Yoshida Trail. Starting this summer, hikers on any of Mount Fuji's four main trails will be charged an entry fee of 4,000 yen ($27). - AFP
