ukiyoe
Mario, Pokémon, Link, Star Fox and more are brought to life through the same process used 200 years ago.
A number of impressive details hidden within the image has made fans go crazy for this limited-edition print.
Two all-American heroes blend seamlessly with two legendary Japanese characters in this new take on a classic ukiyo-e print from the 1800s.
Finding out you can’t eat soba stinks — but at least this is the coolest way to get bad news!
Japanese toilets continue to lead the way with a new range of beautifully decorative models.
From breastfeeding mothers to merchant towns and an evening party with kimono-clad girls in Kyoto, these newly released artworks and photos of old Japan are simply captivating.
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.
There’s always been a strong connection between Japan and the George Lucas-helmed Star Wars franchise. From the samurai-influenced Darth Vader and Stormtrooper costume designs through to the film’s storyline, which borrows heavily from Akira Kurosawa’s 1958 film Hidden Fortress, Lucas himself is the first to admit he owes a lot of his creative inspiration to the Land of the Rising Sun.
So it’s nice to see that Japan is reciprocating the love with a number of Star Wars creations of their own. From samurai-styled figurines to ukiyo-e woodblock prints, these Japanese-styled homages to the epic American film franchise are the perfect way to get ready for the December 18 release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And now you can carry the force wherever you go, with a gorgeous wooden iPhone 6 case that’s so beautiful even a Sith Lord would stand in line to buy one.
Video games nowadays are pretty complicated affairs, with hyper-realistic graphics, sweeping storylines and intricate controls. Sometimes, though, we still long for the time of simpler games, when there were only two buttons and the story was fairly non-existent.
A recent uptick in retro-style games really hammers home the idea that some of the older games were just plain…funner. OK, maybe the graphics could use a bit of an upgrade, but instead of updating the graphics, how about we “old-date” them instead? An artist embarked on a personal project that mixes 80’s video games with the ukiyo-e style and his results are so great, you want to see them up close in order to take in all the details.
The Great Wave off Kanagawa by legendary ukiyoe artist Hokusai is well-known around the world as one of Japan’s most iconic pieces of artwork. Featuring Mt Fuji in the distance, a smattering of ocean spray and a mammoth breaking wave, this is a scene that’s been admired by millions for well over a century.
And where there’s an audience, there’ll also be a star trying to steal the spotlight. Providing poof to the theory, we present you with Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster, who’s taken his favourite baked goods back in time, all the while singing, “Sea is for cookie, that’s good enough for me ♫ Cookie, cookie, cookie starts with sea”.
We think it’s probably a safe bet that fans of Naruto and fans of traditional Japanese culture have a fair amount of overlap.
Naruto, after all, features ninjas flipping around in the air and throwing fireballs and whatnot, which is pretty much what we’re told old-timey Japan was all about. Well, that and, like, crazy, swelling tsunami waves so epic that artists felt the need to document them in Japan’s famed woodblock prints.
When you think of Japanese ukiyo-e, or woodblock prints, you probably think of Hokusai’s beautiful landscapes in his Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji, or the stylized prints of beautiful courtesans in traditional Japanese dress. But there are also many pieces of Japanese art and ukiyo-e from the Edo to the Meiji period (between 1603 and 1912) that represent a more mythical and macabre side of Japan.
The following is a collection of 20 pieces that all contain skulls or skeletons in some form, many of them by renowned and famous artists of the time.
Hokusai Katsushika is known throughout the world for his masterpieces such as The Great Wave off Kanagawa, seen on many a dorm wall, and his Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. He is the ‘father’ of Japanese woodblock prints, or ukiyo-e, and can be credited with popularizing the Japanese art form in the West during the 1800s.
But it’s possible that the prolific artist had help from one of his daughters, who was also a talented ukiyo-e artist in her own right. Read on for a look at some of her spectacular pieces.
Regular readers will no doubt know that we at RocketNews24 love video games. And as anyone with a pair of eyes in their head can tell from a quick glance at our site, we live and breathe Japan and Asia as a whole. So when we stumbled upon these works of art, which combine traditional Japanese woodblock printing and one of our favourite games ever, Katamari Damacy, we simply had to share them with you.
This isn’t Hello Kitty…
Just how many hundred times Yuko Shimizu has been confused with Kitty-chan’s creator we don’t know, but even quick glance at the New York-based illustrator’s inspired work should make it plain that the two artists are worlds apart.
Already being labelled by some internet users as “Ukiyoe Rock”, Yuko Shimizu’s illustrations are evocative to say the very least. We’re pretty sure that Hello Kitty would blush her little red ribbon off if she saw some of these striking images…
MOST POPULAR
Now
Former Tokyo University Professor claims eating only fruit for 8 years has made him superhuman
“But she looked 13!” is no excuse in the eyes of the Japanese law, 40-something man learns
Genius mother comes up with clever solution to stop teenage son from untucking his school shirt
All-you-can-eat sandwiches for 300 yen?! Our Japanese-language reporter dutifully investigates
Buying a house in Tokyo? This town is giving away brand new homes to applicants in Japan
Wedding ceremonies with handsome anime men now being offered at Akihabara VR center
Mr Sato tries the gorgeous new bonsai parfait that everyone’s talking about in Harajuku
Japan continues to make pooping cute with adorable Shiba Inu toilet paper covers
Shogun arrested in Japan for being a peeping Tom
Japanese adult video actresses provide stiff…drinks at new bar opening in Tokyo’s Akihabara
Weekly
Simple Japanese test claims how you draw a star reveals your personality
Japanese knife craftsman transforms an everyday roll of aluminium foil into a super sharp blade
Even Japanese people are frightened by the concealed anger in Kyoto compliment foreigner received
Studio Ghibli fans surprised to find hidden images in Grave of the Fireflies anime poster
Bruno Mars throws towel at model for using phone at Japanese concert, she mistakes it as a gift
Salaryman gives drunk female coworker a ride home, gets beaten into unconsciousness for it- “But she looked 13!” is no excuse in the eyes of the Japanese law, 40-something man learns
Coca-Cola releases world’s first frozen Coke slushie packs in Japan
Long-awaited Moomin theme park in Japan finally announces its planned grand opening
Where’s the very best seat to sit in on Japan’s Shinkansen? Our expert has an answer
Monthly
“Japan’s slowest roller coaster” derails, passengers don’t notice
To combat declining birth rate, Japan to begin offering “Breeding Visas” to foreigners
Japanese idol singer holds memorial concert for 55-year-old fan who died alone and had no funeral- Simple Japanese test claims how you draw a star reveals your personality
- Japanese knife craftsman transforms an everyday roll of aluminium foil into a super sharp blade
Here’s the oldest recipe for Japanese curry in existence, and how it tastes【SoraKitchen】
Japanese bodybuilder becomes world-famous on Twitter, but not for his swole bod- Even Japanese people are frightened by the concealed anger in Kyoto compliment foreigner received
- Studio Ghibli fans surprised to find hidden images in Grave of the Fireflies anime poster
Spring snow falls in Tokyo, creating beautiful images of Japanese sakura cherry blossoms
Yearly
- “Japan’s slowest roller coaster” derails, passengers don’t notice
- To combat declining birth rate, Japan to begin offering “Breeding Visas” to foreigners
Amazing ad from Japan stars 72 actresses each showing one year of a woman’s life in one second
Original model for Dragon Ball Z’s Android 16 resurfaces, sends Japanese Twitter into a frenzy
Children’s manga apologizes to sumo wrestler for drawing penis on Ghengis Khan’s face- Japanese idol singer holds memorial concert for 55-year-old fan who died alone and had no funeral
Anime girl virtual YouTuber unmasked as middle-age male otaku, loses some fans, gains others【Vid】- Simple Japanese test claims how you draw a star reveals your personality
What does “Konnichiwa” really mean? Understanding Japanese greetings
W.T.F. Japan: Top 5 most offensive Japanese swear words 【Weird Top Five】
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Wedding ceremonies with handsome anime men now being offered at Akihabara VR center
Mr Sato tries the gorgeous new bonsai parfait that everyone’s talking about in Harajuku
Japan continues to make pooping cute with adorable Shiba Inu toilet paper covers
Shogun arrested in Japan for being a peeping Tom
Japanese adult video actresses provide stiff…drinks at new bar opening in Tokyo’s Akihabara
Camp like a samurai with the new Outdoor Kimono from Japanese apparel brand Snow Peak
Heartwarming store closure found in Kyushu moves Japanese twitter to tears
Even Japanese people are frightened by the concealed anger in Kyoto compliment foreigner received
Japan’s master knife maker returns with a razor-sharp blade made out of plastic wrap【Video】
Bruno Mars throws towel at model for using phone at Japanese concert, she mistakes it as a gift
Cover commanding Japan “stop staring at smartphones and read a book” doesn’t really hate tech
Studio Ghibli fans surprised to find hidden images in Grave of the Fireflies anime poster
-
