Japanese Woodblock Print Glossary

間判

An intermediate print format measuring approximately 33.5 x 22 cm (13.2 x 8.7 in), sized between oban and chuban.

後摺

A later impression printed from the original blocks after the initial edition, often with changes to colors or simplified printing.

バレン

A flat, circular hand tool used to press paper against an inked woodblock to transfer the image. The primary printing tool in Japanese woodblock printing.

美人画

"Pictures of beautiful women" — a major genre of Japanese art depicting idealized female beauty, from courtesans and geisha to modern women.

暈し

A shading technique in Japanese woodblock printing that creates smooth gradations of color by wiping or moistening part of the block before printing.

中判

A medium-sized print format measuring approximately 26 x 19 cm (10.2 x 7.5 in), roughly half the size of oban.

二枚続

A two-panel composition made from two separate oban-sized sheets designed to be displayed together as a single wide image.

ドーサ引き

The process of sizing paper with alum and animal glue (dosa) to control ink absorption and prevent colors from bleeding.

絵暦

"Picture calendars" — prints incorporating hidden calendar information, popular as exchange gifts among Edo-period intellectuals.

絵師

The artist or designer who creates the original design for a woodblock print. In the traditional division of labor, the eshi conceived the composition but did not carve or print.

風景画

Landscape prints in general, a broader category than meisho-e that includes both famous-place views and generic or idealized landscape compositions.

雁皮

A plant fiber (Wikstroemia sikokiana) used in making fine, translucent Japanese paper with a natural sheen. Less common than kozo but prized for its beauty.

胡麻摺

A printing technique that creates a speckled, granular texture resembling scattered sesame seeds, used for depicting rough surfaces like stone or earth.

版元

The publisher who financed, coordinated, and distributed woodblock prints. The hanmoto managed the entire production process and held the rights to the woodblocks.

版下絵

The preparatory drawing made by the artist that serves as the guide for the block carver. It is pasted face-down onto the block and carved through.

柱絵

An extremely narrow, tall print format (approximately 73 x 12 cm) designed to be hung on the wooden pillars (hashira) of traditional Japanese homes.

彫師

The block carver who translates the artist's design into carved woodblocks. A highly skilled craftsman responsible for faithfully reproducing the artist's lines in wood.

奉書

A premium grade of washi made from pure kozo fiber, traditionally used for official documents and fine woodblock prints. Prized for its smooth surface and consistent quality.

細判

A narrow vertical format measuring approximately 33 x 15 cm (13 x 5.9 in), commonly used for actor prints and standing figure compositions.

一枚絵

"Single-sheet pictures" — individual prints sold as standalone works, as opposed to prints published in books or albums.

板目木版

A printing method using the natural grain pattern of the wood block as a design element, leaving the wood grain visible in the printed image.

花鳥絵

"Bird-and-flower pictures" — a genre depicting birds, flowers, plants, and insects, rooted in Chinese painting traditions and adapted to Japanese aesthetics.

掛物絵

A large vertical format print (approximately 76 x 25 cm) designed to be displayed like a hanging scroll (kakemono) in a tokonoma alcove.

合羽摺

A stencil-printing technique where color is applied through cut paper or cardboard stencils rather than from carved woodblocks.

空摺

Blind printing or embossing without ink, creating raised textural effects on the paper surface by pressing it into carved woodblock grooves.

見当

The registration mark system carved into woodblocks to ensure precise alignment of multiple color layers during printing.

見当彫

The precise carving of registration marks (kento) into each woodblock, essential for aligning multiple color layers accurately.

雲母摺

Mica printing, where ground mica powder is applied to the paper surface to create a shimmering, metallic background effect.

小判

A small print format measuring approximately 22 x 16 cm (8.7 x 6.3 in), used for affordable prints, book illustrations, and greeting cards.

楮

Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera), the primary plant fiber used in making washi. Its long, tough fibers produce exceptionally strong paper.

口絵

Woodblock-printed frontispiece illustrations bound into literary magazines and novels during the Meiji and Taisho eras, often featuring bijin-ga subjects.

名所絵

"Pictures of famous places" — a genre depicting celebrated scenic locations, temples, bridges, and landmarks across Japan.

三椏

A plant fiber (Edgeworthia chrysantha) used in making soft, warm-toned Japanese paper. The third major washi fiber alongside kozo and gampi.

木版画

The traditional Japanese method of woodblock printing using water-based pigments, a baren for hand-pressing, and cherry wood blocks.

木目

The deliberate use of wood grain texture from the printing block as a visible design element in the finished print.

武者絵

"Warrior pictures" — prints depicting samurai, legendary heroes, and historical battle scenes, often with dramatic action and bold compositions.

錦絵

Full-color woodblock printing using multiple blocks, one for each color. Literally "brocade pictures," named for their resemblance to colorful woven textiles.

布目摺

A texture-printing technique where fabric is pressed into the paper before or during printing to create a cloth-grain pattern.

大判

The standard large format for Japanese woodblock prints, measuring approximately 39 x 26.5 cm (15.4 x 10.4 in). The most common size for landscape and figure prints.

桜

Cherry wood (Prunus serrulata), the traditional wood used for carving printing blocks. Prized for its fine, even grain and ability to hold precise detail.

色紙判

A square or nearly square print format (approximately 21 x 18 cm) associated with poetry cards and surimono, often featuring luxury printing techniques.

新版画

The "new prints" movement (1915–1960s) that revived the traditional collaborative woodblock printing system with modern artistic sensibilities, emphasizing atmosphere and beauty.

春画

"Spring pictures" — erotic art produced as a subset of ukiyo-e, created by many of the same major artists who produced mainstream prints.

創作版画

The "creative prints" movement emphasizing artistic self-expression, where a single artist designs, carves, and prints their own work without collaborative division of labor.

墨

Traditional Japanese black ink made from soot (usually pine or oil soot) bound with animal glue, used for the key block outlines in woodblock printing.

摺物

Privately commissioned prints produced for special occasions, typically featuring poetry and exceptionally high-quality printing with metallic pigments and embossing.

摺師

The printer who applies pigments to carved blocks and pulls impressions by hand using a baren. Responsible for color mixing, bokashi effects, and print quality.

短冊

A narrow vertical strip format (approximately 38 x 6 cm) borrowed from the poetry card tradition, used for small prints often featuring nature subjects.

三枚続

A three-panel composition made from three separate oban-sized sheets designed to be displayed together as a single panoramic image.

浮世絵

"Pictures of the floating world" — the dominant genre of Japanese art from the 17th to 19th centuries, depicting the pleasures of urban life including kabuki theater, courtesans, and landscapes.

和紙

Traditional Japanese handmade paper, valued for its strength, absorbency, and longevity. The essential printing substrate for moku-hanga.

役者絵

"Actor pictures" — prints depicting kabuki theater performers in famous roles, one of the most popular and prolific genres of ukiyo-e.

横浜絵

Prints depicting foreigners and Western culture in the port city of Yokohama after Japan opened to international trade in 1859.