Japanese symbolic animals are a huge and important part of Japanese culture, with inclusion in traditional sculptures, prints, and more. This post uncovers the Japanese spiritual symbols of a range of Japanese animals, including some Japanese folklore animals, that you may or may not be familiar with. Butterflies – ‘Choho’ Japan perceives the butterfly to …
Running from Saturday 5th January to Thursday 7th February, here at The Japanese Shop we’re incredibly pleased to be a part of RHS Harlow Carr Garden’s Japanese Art Exhibition. Featuring an extensive look at the woodblock print work of the legendary Utagawa Hiroshige, this dedicative display will include 16 replicas of Hiroshige’s most famous flora …
An Insight Into Japanese Artist Hiroshige Ahead of Our Exhibition Read More »
Labelled ‘the most generous Christmas shoppers in the world’, us Brits tend to get carried away over the festive period, spending an estimated £476 on Christmas goodies each year. But who said Christmas had to have such a negative effect on our bank balance? Indeed, more and more people are now opting to make their own …
Christmas DIY: How to Make Origami Christmas Decorations Read More »
Even those with little knowledge of Japan can’t help but notice the prominence of flower symbolism in Japanese culture. From the beautiful cherry blossom, which is found everywhere from haiku verse to manga comics, to the vibrant chrysanthemum appearing on everything from crockery to coins, flower symbolism plays a vital role in Japanese art, literature …
Utagawa Hiroshige, known around the world as Andō Hiroshige or by just his last name, was a master of Japanese ukiyo-e. Ukiyo-e literally means ‘Pictures of the Floating World’, and the art style encompasses the famous Japanese woodblock prints that we know so well. It was an art style that was particularly popular in the …
Utagawa Hiroshige: Master of Japanese Woodblock Prints Read More »
The history of Japanese art is unquestionably rich. It’s fabulously influential across the globe, even though there isn’t even really anything can be called a ‘traditional Japanese art’! There’s such a range of artistic expression that has come from Japan in the last millennium, so we’re going to dive right in and have a look …
Woodblock printing (‘mokuhanga’) is a traditional art form in Japan involving the printing of text, images, and patterns. Many intricate and famous prints have been created as a result of Japanese woodblock printing techniques, and these prints go far back in Japan’s history. This guide highlights how and when this process began. Woodblock Printing History …
Now that the summer season is in full swing, it’s the perfect time for all those keen outdoor explorers to head off on exciting adventures while the good weather lasts, and where better to unleash your adventurous spirit than in the mountainous region of Japan? While Japan is known for its bustling urban cities, around …
Japanese Calligraphy has been a fine art form for centuries. Known as ‘Shodo’, the history of this calligraphy has Chinese roots that were introduced into Japan at around 600 AD. At the start of calligraphy in China, it was used for inscribing bones with pictographs as a religious practice. This then evolved into a standardised …
