Hosoban

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

細判 (Hosoban) is a term used in Japanese woodblock printmaking. A narrow vertical format measuring approximately 33 x 15 cm (13 x 5.9 in), commonly used for actor prints and standing figure compositions.

Hosoban is a narrow, vertically oriented format that was popular primarily during the early-to-mid Edo period. Its elongated proportions — roughly twice as tall as it is wide — make it ideally suited for depicting standing figures, particularly kabuki actors in dramatic poses. The format emphasizes the vertical line and dynamic posture of the human figure. The hosoban format was widely used by early ukiyo-e masters including Suzuki Harunobu and Torii Kiyonaga for actor prints and bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women). The narrow dimensions complemented the flowing lines of kimono fabric and the elegant postures of kabuki actors. As oban became the dominant format in the late eighteenth century, hosoban fell out of common use, though it was occasionally revived for nostalgic or stylistic purposes.