Announcement: Special Exhibition “Utamaro and Sharaku in Mica Light” and “The Work of Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints: From Ukiyo-e Reproductions to Contemporary Art”

Ukiyo-e prints were created through a division of labor among the ukiyo-e artist (eshi), carver (hori-shi), and printer (suri-shi). Overseeing these three roles and taking charge of the entire process—from planning to publication and sales—was the publisher (hanmoto), who played a vital role in the Ukiyo-e production system. Among them, one of the most prominent publishers who helped shape the “golden age of Ukiyo-e” was Tsutaya Juzaburo, who will be featured in the 2025 NHK historical drama Unbound. The works he published—such as the bijin-ga (portraits of beauties) by Kitagawa Utamaro and the actor prints by Toshusai Sharaku—continue to fascinate viewers even today.

Starting Tuesday, October 21, 2025, the Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints —the present-day hanmoto with its own carvers and printers— presents a mini special exhibition titled “Utamaro and Sharaku in Mica Light” at its Tokyo gallery, held jointly with the Adachi Foundation for the Preservation of Woodcut Printing and Adachi also provides filming support for the NHK drama. The exhibition explores the creativity and ingenuity behind Utamaro and Sharaku’s Ukiyo-e prints from the perspective of printmaking.

In addition, collaboration prints with contemporary artists—originally featured in Ukiyo-e In Play at the Tokyo National Museum this April—will also be on view. Visitors can fully enjoy the breadth of Adachi’s activities, from traditional Ukiyo-e reproductions to contemporary works, all created using techniques that have been passed down for over 300 years.