Illuminating the "Quiet Elegance" of Kyoto's Backstreets
When you step outside the bustling main street, a neat row of townhouses and stone walls continues.
No matter when you walk, the small streets heading towards the preserved atmosphere around Sanjo Bridge evoke a calm and refined mood.
This is a woodblock print depicting the everyday scenery of Kyoto.
The "Subtle Presence" of Hand-Printed Woodblock Prints
These are "hand-printed woodblock prints" by Takaken Do in Kyoto. Using traditional hand-printing woodblock techniques, each print is carefully made, allowing you to enjoy the unique blending of each one-of-a-kind piece.
The size is slightly larger than a postcard. Designed to look good even in narrow spaces, whether placed on shelves, in alcoves, or under eaves, they become beautiful artworks.
[Recommended for these people]
- Those who love Kyoto, Japanese culture, and traditional Japanese aesthetics
- Those who want to bring the “quietness and elegance of backstreets” into their daily life
- Those looking for art with a sense of presence
Woodblock prints are not just decorations; they are an interior that carries “comfort and travel memories.”
In everyday life, if you notice them, they bring a deep serenity and color that captures the atmosphere of Kyoto. Please take one in hand and feel its rich world.
Also as a Special Gift
This work, set against the backdrop of Kyoto’s historic streets, is a present full of respect for Japanese culture and refined travel memories, making it a gift with special meaning.
Small and light, yet combining modern taste and traditional aesthetics, it is a single print suitable for new building celebrations or opening ceremonies.
About the Materials
For woodblock prints, high-quality Echizen Washi (Echizen paper) made in Fukui Prefecture, Echizen, is used. This is the highest grade hand-made Japanese paper for woodblock printing.
The images carved into woodblocks are hand-colored onto paper using the traditional printing technique called "hand-printed woodblock prints."
Woodblock Print Artist Kenji Takenaka
Kenji Takenaka, creator of Ishigaki Alley works, is the fifth generation of the Takenaka woodblock print family. He learned woodblock printing techniques from Takenaka Kiyohachi, the current head, since childhood.
He captures subjects with bold compositions and colors, expressing a unique worldview with simple yet profound expression.
He holds exhibitions across Kyoto and offers new ways to enjoy woodblock prints, including design proposals using woodblock prints for companies, not just creating artworks.
Some of his works are permanently exhibited at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the Honolulu Museum of Art, deepening exchanges through workshops and woodblock printing, and actively engaging both domestically and internationally.
(Image provided by Takenaka Do)
About the Brand "Takenaka Do"
Takenaka Woodblock Prints was founded in Kyoto in 1891 and has inherited various Kyoto print techniques from over 130 years of mass production of Japanese prints to commercial printing.
The current head, Takenaka Kiyohachi, researches old techniques and teaches young artisans. The fifth generation Kenji Takenaka established Takenaka Do to create new work and sells woodblock prints and paper stationery at the store.
The sixth generation, Sugako Harada, is popular for designs that blend tradition and modernity, contributing to the growth of Takenaka Do.
Currently, they handle commercial packaging using woodblock prints and restoration of old prints, always pursuing new possibilities.
(Image provided by Takenaka Do)
[Size]
Painting: Vertical 11cm × Horizontal 15cm
Paper: Vertical 13.5cm × Horizontal 18.5cm
[Notes]
- No frame is included.
- Edition numbers are not specified.
- Due to lighting and reduction, the product’s color tone may differ from the displayed images and the actual product.
