February 2018

Katsushika Hokusai’s original Phoenix painting in Obuse City

The painting of Phoenix that glares in all directions by Katsushika Hokusai In 1843, a great painter visited the small village Obuse in Shinshu (today’s Nagano Prefecture). The place where you can see the painting of Phoenix even today.  Hokusai and Obuse The great painter was Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849). He was 83 years old at that time.

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Oigen’s Nambu Tekki (Japanese cast iron) cookware products

Traditional Japanese southern cast iron (Nambu Tekki) company, Oigen <p style=”text-align: center;”><a title=”Oigen Nambu Ironware Sukiyaki &amp; Dumplings Iron Pan Ca-4 26cm Japan Import :972″ href=”https://www.amazon.com/Oigen-Nambu-Ironware-Sukiyaki-Dumplings/dp/B000IGKOEI?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRKC6WE3NL42JJSQ&amp;tag=hachihachi-20&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=2025&amp;creative=165953&amp;creativeASIN=B000IGKOEI” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”><img src=”https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51wXIR5pYVL.jpg” alt=”Oigen Nambu Ironware Sukiyaki &amp; Dumplings Iron Pan Ca-4 26cm Japan Import :972″ width=”500″ height=”500″ /></a></p> In the 17th century, the history of the Nambu Tekki started

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Plum garden ukiyo-e art woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige

Plum Estate, Kameido from “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo” woodblock prints     As if the blooming plum flowers gave out the fragrance for us. It is one of the ukiyo-e series of “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo” by Utagawa (Ando) Hiroshige (1797-1858).    The Plum Estate in Kameido was the vacation house of the wealthy

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Utagawa Hiroshige’s whirlpool artwork ukiyo-e woodblock print

Awa, Naruto Whirlpool from “Famous Views of the Sixty-odd Provinces” The swirling currents beat the angular rocks and splash water about. As if the whirlpool swallows up those who look the print. It is one of the representative works of Utagawa (Ando) Hiroshige (1797-1858) who was the master‐hand at the landscape paintings in the ukiyo-e world.  Hiroshige worked on

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