Kabuki Prints (357)
Kabuki theater prints (yakusha-e) are among the earliest and most commercially important genres of ukiyo-e, documenting the stars, roles, and dramatic moments of Japan's premier theatrical tradition. From the late seventeenth century onward, prints depicting kabuki actors were as popular as modern entertainment magazines, feeding public fascination with the theater's celebrity culture. Torii Kiyonobu and the Torii school established the earliest conventions for actor prints, emphasizing dramatic poses (mie) and bold patterned costumes. The genre reached its artistic peak with Sharaku's psychologically penetrating bust portraits of 1794-95, which broke with flattering convention to capture the intensity and effort of stage performance. Though commercially unsuccessful in his time, Sharaku's brief output is now considered among the most important works in the print tradition. The nineteenth century saw enormous production of actor prints by artists including Kunisada, Kunichika, and Kuniyoshi, who documented the kabuki repertoire with encyclopedic thoroughness. These prints preserve detailed records of costumes, makeup (kumadori), and staging that are invaluable to theater historians. The genre declined with the advent of photography but experienced periodic revivals, including shin-hanga actor prints by Natori Shunsen and the bold theatrical compositions of modern sosaku-hanga artists.
Artists Known for Kabuki
Kabuki Theater
歌舞伎
Woodblock print
Onoe Shoroku II as the tattooed villain Danshichi
1955
Woodblock print
View of Kabuki Theater from Matsuya (Ginza Matsuya yori Kabukiza), no. 3 from the series "Pictures of Ginza, First Series (Gashu Ginza dai isshu)"
1928
Color lithograph
Distant View of Mitsukoshi Movie Theater in Shinjuku from the Sixth Floor of Hoteiya (Hoteiya rokkai kara Shinjuku Mitsukoshi Musashi no kan enbo zu), no. 1 from the series "Scenery of Shinjuku (Gashu Shinjuku fukei)"
1930
Color lithograph
Onimaru, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Kabuki Actor Nakamura Ganjirô as Kamiya Jihei, Taishô period, circa 1922
Woodblock print
Chüshingura in Twelve Months
Woodblock print
Actor Ichikawa Sadanji as Hishikawa Gengobei, Taishô period, circa 1923
Woodblock print
Nagamitsu, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
The Kabuki Actor Nakamura Utaemon as Yukihime (Nakamura Utaemon Yukihime)
1951
Color woodblock print
From the Theatre Wings
Woodblock print
Eizö and Matsuomaru (Artist’s proof)
Woodblock print
The Actor Sawamura Tanosuke III, from the series "Reminiscences of Elegant Actors (Fuga wazaogi shinobu)"
1862
Color woodblock print; oban
Onoe Baiko VII- Wisteria maiden
Woodblock print
Actor Ichikawa Danshirō II as Henmi Tesshinsai
1919
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Actor in Modern Western Clothing, Taishô period, circa 1920-1922
Woodblock print
Actor Matsumoto Kōshirō VII as Sukeroku
1920
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with mica
Actor Nakamura Ganjirô as Akane Hanshichi, from the series Flowers of the Theatrical World (Rien no hana), Taishô period, dated 1920
Woodblock print
Actor Onoe Matsusuke IV as Gorōji in Kagatobi
1920
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with nikawa and embossing
Actor Wearing Chinese Costume, Taishô period, circa 1920-1922
Woodblock print
Ichikawa Shocho II as Oman
Woodblock print
Kabuki Actor in Profile Looking to Left with Sword, Taishô period, circa 1920-1922
Woodblock print
Kabuki Actor Looking Down, Taishô period, circa 1920-1922
Woodblock print
Kabuki Actor Looking to Right with Scroll, Taishô period, circa 1920-1922
Woodblock print
Kabuki Actor with Child, Taishô period, circa 1920-1922
Woodblock print
Nakamura Kichiemon I
Woodblock print
Onnagata Ichikawa Shôchô 2nd as Oman, from the series Twelve Actor Prints (Jûni yakusha-e), Taishô period, dated 1920
Woodblock print
Memorial Portrait of the Actor Segawa Kikunojo V
1832
Color woodblock print; oban
Nakamura Tokizo III as Shizuka Gozen
1954
Woodblock print
Nakamura Utaemon as the courtesan Yatsuhashi
1954
Woodblock print
No. 12, Actor Onoe Baikō VII as Wisteria Maiden
1952
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
No. 5, Actor Matsumoto Kōshirō VII as Benkei
1951–52
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Portrait of Nakamura Utaemon
1984
Woodblock print
Bust Portrait Bando Tomisaburo V as Matsukaze- Design no 148
1994
Woodblock print
Nakamura Jyakuemon as Ginpei's Wife Oryu
August 1995
Woodblock print
Onoe Kikugoro as Yosaburo from the Genjimise
July 1989
Woodblock print
Nakamura Tomijuro as Soga Goro
May 1993
Woodblock print
Onoe Baiko as Masaoka
Oct. 1990
Woodblock print
Ichikawa Monnosuke as Miuraya Shiratama
Sept. 1989
Woodblock print
Nakamura Tomijuro as Tominomori Sukeemon
May 1987
Woodblock print
Ichikawa Ennosuke as Onna Sendo Oen
Sept 1997
Woodblock print
Nakamura Kichiemon in a Role
1990
Woodblock print
Nakamura Utaemon in a Courtesan Role
1989
Woodblock print
Ichikawa Danjuro XII as Umeomaru in the scene of Kurumabiki
1988
Woodblock print
Nakamura Senjaku II as Osome in the play of Toribe-yama Shinju
1987
Woodblock print
Onoe Baiko VII as Mokuzume 七世尾上梅幸の田熊娘藻女 / Bust portraits IV (Design 6) 第四期大首絵シリーズの６
October 1984
Woodblock print
Onoe Baiko VII as Masaoka 七世尾上梅幸の乳人政岡 / Bust portraits VIII (Design 4) 第八期大首絵シリーズの４
October 1990
Woodblock print
The Actor Nakamura Utaemon VI as Tonase in Kanadehon Chushingura / Okubi-e (Bust Portraits, Series IV)
March 1983
Woodblock print
Bando Tamasaburo V as Agemaki of the Miuraya 五世坂東玉三郎の三浦屋揚巻 / Okubie (Bust Portraits, Series III)
1983
Woodblock print
Ichikawa Danshiro IV as Tonbe in the play
1988
Woodblock print
Nakamura Kichiemon ll as Benkei in the play
1988
Woodblock print
Onoe Shoroku as Kudo Suketsune in the play
1989
Woodblock print
Kabuki Actor, Matsumoto Koshiro as Benkei
Circa 1950
Woodblock print
Woman holding a Noh mask
circa 1970-1990
Woodblock print
Shiokumi from Kabuki dance
Woodblock print
Kabuki Actor Holding Wooden Plaque, Taishô period, circa 1920-1922
Woodblock print
Actor KICHIEMON in the role of TOJURO
Woodblock print
Actor as Young Man with a Striped Cowl
Woodblock print
Actor
Woodblock print
Actor Kataoka Gado as Miyuki
Woodblock print
Related Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
Kabuki theater prints (yakusha-e) are among the earliest and most commercially important genres of ukiyo-e, documenting the stars, roles, and dramatic moments of Japan's premier theatrical tradition. From the late seventeenth century onward, prints depicting kabuki actors were as popular as modern entertainment magazines, feeding public fascination with the theater's celebrity culture.
Tsuruya Kokei, Tsukioka Gyokusei, and Ota Masamitsu are among the artists most associated with kabuki in our collection. Browse the full list of artists who explored this subject above.
Hanga currently catalogues 357 prints tagged with kabuki, spanning ukiyo-e, shin-hanga, and sōsaku-hanga traditions where applicable.