Nunomezuri

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

布目摺 (Nunomezuri) is a term used in Japanese woodblock printmaking. A texture-printing technique where fabric is pressed into the paper before or during printing to create a cloth-grain pattern.

Nunomezuri creates the appearance of woven fabric on the printed surface by impressing cloth texture into the paper. A piece of fabric with a visible weave pattern is placed between the block and the paper during printing, transferring the textile grain into the dampened paper surface. Alternatively, a block carved with a fabric-like crosshatch pattern may be used. This technique was commonly used to depict clothing, curtains, and other textile elements in prints, giving them a realistic tactile quality. It appears frequently in bijin-ga (beauty prints) where the texture of a kimono fabric adds realism and visual interest. The technique can be combined with color printing — the fabric impression provides texture while pigment provides color and pattern.