The History of Japanese Ukiyo-e Art

Asahina Under Cherry Blossom by Utagawa Hiroshige (1847)

The art of Japan has always been of fascination here at Cravat Club, providing something of a cultural “home-from-home”. Our Ukiyo-e range incorporates scenes and themes from myth and folklore, and this figurative woodcut style is perhaps the most famous type of Japanese art today. But where did the style originate? 

From Painting to Printing

Beginning around the late 17th Century, Japanese artists began creating monochromatic woodblock prints, using natural inks and locally known methods. These were based closely on the style and subject matter of Chinese Tang Dynasty paintings - the prevailing trend in Japan at the time. Hishikawa Moronobu is perhaps the most historically notable artist of this period, who extended the style using new techniques to add blocks of colour to the otherwise black ink prints. In departing from the Chinese style of painting towards this new, more affordable method, he began to pioneer a distinctly Japanese artform.

Two Beauties, by Moronubu, c. 1680

A Little Bit of Context

In this period, known as the Edo period, Japanese society was ruled by what was essentially a military dictatorship, and one that defined the country in quite rigid terms. Society essentially had four strata - warriors, farmers, artisans, and—at the bottom of the heap—merchants. However, and most especially in the capital of Edo (now Tokyo), merchants had begun to do rather well thanks to the economic conditions of the time. This meant more disposable income, more interest in the outside world, and new ways to display wealth and taste. Paintings were by nature one-off pieces and could only be bought by the extremely wealthy or the nobility. Woodblock prints, finely made but produced in some quantity, were a more accessible way of approaching the arts.

Mother and Child, by Kitagawa Utamaro

This rise went hand-in-hand with the technology of the time - this was before the printing press arrived in Japan and before mass production. Woodblock printing allowed for a relatively cheap and consistent way of producing decorative arts for a rising middle class, and was wildly popular.

What is the Floating World?

Ukiyo-e loosely translates as “pictures of the floating world”. This was, at first, in line with Buddhist beliefs about the transience of life and how delicate existence was. Themes were spiritual and focused on nature and folk stories. As the period progressed however, a new decadence began to creep into the works, and this took on another meaning - temporary pleasure, or maybe joie de vivre. 

The style was synonymous with the Edo region, which was also known for its walled-in entertainment and red light districts. There, the resident merchant class interacted in bars, teahouses and nightspots with sailors, courtesans and ne’er do wells. These themes began to feature in woodblock prints and proved extremely popular, mixing a decorative style with pictures of everyday life, along with an edge of glamour brought by the vibrant colours and edgy themes. 

Ōtani Oniji III as Yakko Edobei, by Tōshūsai Sharaku

Beauties, realistic Kabuki actors and urban setups were common subjects, along with a flourishing, though illegal, erotic art scene. This last category was known as Shunga, or "spring pictures", thus evading the pervasive censorship of the time.

A pair of lovers embrace in a scene from Kitagawa Utamaro's Poem of the Pillow c.1788

This blurred line of morality and hedonism is an interesting place for artists, with the prints “floating” between urban sleaze and middle-class respectability. Mythological scenes became darker and more focused on fear, vengeance and terror, featuring monstrous figures and with death always lurking around the margins.

Further down the line and especially in the 19th Century, this began to come full circle. The rigid parameters of society were beginning to relax, and people were beginning to travel more as leisure time became available. People were also beginning to frown upon images of vice and pleasure, and artists sought a new approach. Landscape prints depicting the beautiful Japanese countryside gradually became popular, with the transience of the style reflected in things such as snowfall, the changing of the seasons, or ancient mountains. Western perspective techniques had also been incorporated, allowing for greater depth and detail. Today’s best-known Ukiyo-e artists were proponents of this new, more sentimental style; Katsushiga Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige.

Hokusai & Hiroshige

Hokusai’s The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, c.1830

Today, these two artists are almost certainly the most famous artists working in the Ukiyo-e style, certainly among Western audiences. They provide perhaps the defining images of Japanese woodblocks today - Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Hokusai, which includes the endlessly-reproduced The Great Wave off Kanagawa, and The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō and One Hundred Famous Views of Edo by Hiroshige. The two were contemporaries and doubtless influenced each other’s work, with Hokusai’s prints being bold and formal, and Hiroshige’s being more lyrical and spare. While their work represents only one period and one style of Ukiyo-e print, it is by far the most influential on subsequent generations, and their work features everywhere from art galleries to t-shirts.

Hiroshige’s Rain Shower at Shōno, c.1833

Decline & Rebirth

As Japan began to open up economically, adopting modern printing techniques and importing new synthetic pigments, the style began to fall out of favour, with the printed arts focusing on journalism and other more lucrative options. Artists moved on into new realms as technology advanced, and the traditional woodblock fell by the wayside. 

Emperor Jimmu by Nobukazu (1874-1944) 

As with all things however, this was cyclical. The style had a huge influence on artists and musicians in the West; Van Gogh, Debussy, Whistler and more drew heavily upon the style for their own work. Subsequent generations began to rediscover the merits of these prints, both in their original guise and through modern artists repurposing the style for the present day. Contemporary Western audiences began to prize the spare lines, economy and beautiful subjects of the prints, while younger Japanese audiences began to see them as a distinct and unique native form. 

Bridge in the Rain (After Hiroshige), Vincent van Gogh, 1887

Our Ukiyo-e Range

Inspired by the woodblock style and by the themes of nature and myth, Director Jenny spent time living in Japan and wanted to do something beyond pastiches of Japanese elements.  

Cravat Club’s Gods & Demons printed silk pocket squares have been designed by our talented Japanese artist, Yusuke Aoki, and feature imagery based on original prints; vengeful Hannya demons, the mythical samurai Yorimitsu doing battle with the demon king Shoten Dōji, the Izumo region of the gods, and more.

Hannya I Pocket Square

Yorimitsu II Pocket Square

Izumo IV Pocket Square

Our other Ukiyo-e designs feature motifs that will be familiar to fans of the artform, with a small sample of our many pieces below:

Higure, available to pre-order now, featuring a stunning print of 富士山 (Mount Fuji).

Mifune, featuring Toshiro Mifune, a well-known Japanese actor, most famous for his roles in the Samurai Trilogy; Rashomon, Yojimbo, & Seven Samurai.

Maiko, featuring an apprentice Geiko, or geisha.

Each piece is designed to be worn in many different ways, with different elements of the print featuring different colours and shapes. This makes them incredibly versatile, working with different outfits and lending a distinct feel depending how they’re used. What’s more, these artist-drawn specials are handmade in England from 100% grade-A silk, meaning no luxury is spared in providing a truly striking accessory.

Whether you’re an aficionado of Japanese crafts, are fascinated by mythology, or simply want to dress with flair, our Ukiyo-e silk pocket squares will feed your inner philosopher and make every outfit a work of art.

Hiroshige, Kanbara, from The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō, 1833

For our UK readers, The British Museum is currently running a special exhibition of Hiroshige’s work until September 2025 which, having visited ourselves, comes highly recommended. Click HERE for more.