Hiyoshi Mamoru
日吉護
Japan
Biography
Hiyoshi Mamoru (日吉護, born 1885) was a Japanese painter and woodblock print artist whose most distinctive body of work depicts the customs, markets, and landscapes of Korea, drawn from more than three decades of firsthand experience living on the Korean peninsula during the colonial period. Born in Tokyo, he studied at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts under the Western-style painter Okada Saburosuke.
After graduating in 1909, Hiyoshi moved to Korea, where he served as a teacher at the Kyongsong (Gyeongseong) Middle School, a Japanese-language institution. He remained in Korea until 1945, a span of thirty-six years during which he absorbed the landscape, daily customs, and material culture of his adopted country. In 1941 he participated in the founding of the Kyungsung Artists' Association.
Hiyoshi did not begin designing woodblock prints until the 1950s, after his return to Japan. Working with the Kyoto publisher Kyoto Hanga-in, he produced a series of colorful prints depicting Korean subjects --- marketplace scenes, women washing clothes by a river, village views, and pastoral landscapes --- that drew on decades of accumulated observation and memory. His print "Korean Market" is among the most widely reproduced. These prints are often signed in English as "M. Hiyoshi" and are characterized by bright, saturated colors and a warmth of observation that suggests deep personal attachment to the places and customs depicted.
Hiyoshi also produced prints of Japanese subjects, including rural farming scenes and atmospheric views of rain over agricultural landscapes. His work circulates through specialist dealers and appears in institutional collections including the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. His death date has not been established in available English-language sources.
Key Facts
- Nationality
- 🇯🇵Japan
Frequently Asked Questions
Hiyoshi Mamoru (日吉護, born 1885) was a Japanese painter and woodblock print artist whose most distinctive body of work depicts the customs, markets, and landscapes of Korea, drawn from more than three decades of firsthand experience living on the Korean peninsula during the colonial period. Born in Tokyo, he studied at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts under the Western-style painter Okada Saburosuke.
Hiyoshi Mamoru's prints frequently feature daily life, figures, abstract, market scenes, travel scenes, rain.
Original prints by Hiyoshi Mamoru can be found in collections including Japanese Art Open Database, Ohmi Gallery, ukiyo-e.org.
Hiyoshi Mamoru was active during the shin-hanga era and produced woodblock prints in the traditional Japanese aesthetic. Prints from this period benefit from strong collector interest. Prices range from $150 for more common subjects to $5,000 for rare designs in excellent condition. Most prints sell in the $480–$1600 range. Edition and condition are important price factors. The overall shin-hanga market has shown consistent strength.