Lovers of art, history and animals are celebrating the release of an exclusive set of ukiyoe woodblock prints from 1857 that are now free to download and share online.
The series of 26 animals was created by acclaimed artist Utagawa Yoshitora, an accomplished pupil of legendary ukiyoe creator Utagawa Kuniyoshi, who was widely known for his renderings of cats and mythical beasts. The influence of the great master is clearly evident in these images, which include traditional portrayals of magical animals alongside lions, sheep, wolves and even cats and dogs.
▼ Common animals like horses, sheep and deer appear especially beautiful with elegant poses and attention to detail.
▼ That’s a Japanese Weasel in case you were’t sure!
▼ Clockwise, from top left: A tanuki raccoon dog, an otter, a squirrel, a Japanese spaniel, and a bear.
▼ Other animals commonly seen in Edo-period Japan were badgers, foxes, and oxen.
The exotic tiger is a symbol of strength and courage in Japan. It used to be said that a tiger would return after running a distance of 1,000 ri (about 4,000 kilometres or 2,485 miles), making it a popular symbol for warriors heading off to battle.
▼ Known as the Shishi, this lion-dog is commonly located on the left-side of a pair known as Komainu, who stand guard at the entrance to shinto shrines.
The baku, a mythical beast that devours bad dreams, has tiger paws, rhinoceros eyes and an elephant’s trunk. To this day, baku talismans are kept near children’s bedsides to help ward off bad dreams.
The Kirin is said to have the body of a deer, the hooves of a horse, scales of a fish, the tail of an ox, and a single horn. Believed to live in paradise, this mythical beast personifies all that is good, peaceful and pure. A similar design can be seen today inside the logo on Kirin beer bottles.
The complete collection has become available as a series of scalable vector graphics (SVG), which means they’ll scale beautifully to any size or resolution without any annoying pixelation. It’s never been easier to print your own Japanese artwork on a scroll and bring some Edo-period charm to your home!
Source: Japaaan
Images: Deviant Art/hansendo, Coliss
Ukiyo-e woodblock print of vocaloid Hatsune Miku in Edo-period Japan sells out immediately online
Video game battles as woodblock prints, “Ukiyo-e Heroes: Boss Fights” now available online 【Pics】
Tokaido ukiyoe series by Hiroshige now free to share, we celebrate with five favourites
Adorable, whimsical pictures of animals painted by old-school Japanese masters
Uniqlo brings cultural cuteness to Edo animals T-shirt line with Japanese history’s greatest artists
Starbucks Japan opens new Kyoto store in Place of Scenic Beauty
Is this Japan’s most extreme cherry blossom viewing? Leap, cycle and climb through 2,500 sakura
Komachi Shokudo: Japanese mum’s-style cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Tokyo
Number of foreigners living in Japan has grown 50 percent in four years, hits historic high
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
We get some outside help making a pro drinking meal from 7-Eleven【Japan’s Best Home Senbero】
Beautiful Starbucks in Kyoto blends into its traditional landscape in more ways than one
Starbucks Japan offers special sakura picnics at Reserve Roastery Tokyo beside Meguro River
We visited the awesome Ninja Trick House in Tokyo!
Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Starbucks Japan releases a new Cream Puff Frappuccino for a limited time
Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhood
Is Japan’s Crab-shaped Cup Ramen Timer worth the hype?
Pizza Hut Japan teams up with creator of one of the country’s best kinds of ramen for ramen pizza
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Silicone testicle covers banned from Japanese sauna following cups being left behind and on shelves
Japanese government planning higher ticket prices for foreign tourists at Tokyo National Museum
Pikachu and Eevee become handmade Lladró porcelain sculptures to celebrate Pokémon’s 30th birthday
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says