Thank you for choosing our tour at Asakusa and Ueno Park on June 4. We welcomed 19 people from U.S.A., Norway, China and France.
I hope all of you enjoyed and shared interesting conversations with us during the tour. As promised, group photos and snapshots are attached to remember the fun times we had.
“The Five Stars of Ukiyo-e Artists Exhibition” is being held at the Ueno Royal Museum from May 27 to July 6. It is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with last admission at 4:30 p.m. The admission fee is 2,000 yen. Approximately 140 ukiyo-e prints by the five great ukiyo-e artists-Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Hiroshige, Kitagawa Utamaro, Toshusai Sharaku and Utagawa Kuniyoshi -are on display. Famous works such as Hokusai’s “Thirty- six Views of Mount Fuji” and Hiroshige’s “Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido” are also included.
Ukiyo-e is a style of woodblock printing that was created and developed in Japan during the 17th century, in the Edo period. Ukiyo-e depicts the everyday lives of common people, as well as portraits of kabuki actors, sumo wrestlers, beautiful women and Japanese landscapes. It began as black-and-white prints, but evolved into colorful multi-colored prints in the 18th century. Ukiyo-e prints were produced through a division of labor among the artist, woodblock carver, and printer, which enabled efficient production at low cost. Because ukiyo-e prints were mass-produced using woodblocks, they were affordable. It is said that even ordinary people could afford a print for the price of one or two bowls of soba noodles. In particular, ukiyo-e prints depicting kabuki actors and beautiful women were popular among common people as a form of entertainment during the Edo period.
Japan participated in the Paris Exposition for the first time in 1867, where ukiyo-e and other traditional crafts were exhibited. In addition, ukiyo-e prints were often used as wrapping paper for ceramics and lacquerware exported to Europe. As a result, ukiyo-e caught the attention of European audiences. Their bold compositions and vibrant colors made a strong impression and had a significant influence on late 19th-century Impressionist painters such as Vincent van Gogh Claude Monet. For example, ukiyo-e prints appear in the background of Van Gogh’s Portrait of Pere Tanguy.
“The Five Stars of Ukiyo-e Artists Exhibition” is a great opportunity to admire artworks by these five masters. If you have time, I highly recommend a visit. The Ueno Royal Museum is located near the route of the TFWT Ueno Park Tour.
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(posted by Kuma)