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
Chinese Theatre, Shôwa period, dated 1959
Woodblock print
Collection of Shunsen Portraits: Ichikawa Schocho II as Umegawa and Kataoka Gado IV as Chubei (Shunsen Nigao-e Shu: Ichikawa Shocho II, Kataoka Gado IV)
Woodblock print
Noh Play
1962
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Asau, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Busu, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Chidori, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Dontaro, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Fukitori, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Fukunokami, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Futaridaimyo, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Higeyagura, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Ishigami, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Kakiyamabushi, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Kanaoka, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Kaniyamabushi, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Konusubito, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Koshiinori, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Naizata, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Nakiama, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Naruko, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Nurishi, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Oni No Mamako, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Rokujizo, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Shido Hokaku, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Shimizu, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Shuron, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Taue, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Title Page, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Tosumo, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Tsuribari, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Ushinusubito, from the series "Fifty Kyogen Plays (Kyogen gojuban)"
1927 (Published)
Color woodblock print
Mitate No.99 - Kabuki Curtain (Joshiki-maku)
2016
Bunraku Puppet
20th century
Color woodblock print
Portrait of Actor Nakamura Kichiemon
1947
Woodblock print
Portrait of Nakamura Kichiemon, Kabuki Actor
1947
Color woodblock print
Actor Ichikawa Chūsha VII as Kiichi Hōgen
c. 1936
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with mica and embossing
Actor Ichikawa Chūsha VII as Takechi Mitsuhide
1926
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with mica and embossing
Actors Ichikawa Shōchō II as Umegawa and Kataoka Gadō XII as Chūbei
1927
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Collection of Shunsen Portraits: Ichikawa Chusha VII as Taju no Takechi Mitsuhide (Shunsen Nigao-e Shu: Ichikawa Chusha VII)
Woodblock print
Collection of Shunsen Portraits: Ichikawa Sadanji II As Narukami Uejin (Shunsen Nigao-e Shu: Ichikawa Sadanji II)
Woodblock print
Collection of Shunsen Portraits: Nakamura Ganjiro I as Sakata Tojuro (Shunsen Nigao-e Shu: Nakamura Ganjiro)
Woodblock print
Collection of Shunsen Portraits: Nakamura Utaemon V as Yodogimi (Shunsen Nigao-e Shu: Nakamura Utaemon V)
Woodblock print
Collection of Shunsen Portraits: Onoe Matsusuke IV as Chobei (Shunsen Nigao-e Shu: Onoe Matsusuke IV)
Woodblock print
The Actor Bando Shucho III as Shizuka Gozen, from the series “Collection of Portraits by Shunsen (Shunsen nigao shu)"
1925
Color woodblock print; oban
The Actor Nakamura Kichiemon I as Mitsuhide, from the series “Collection of Portraits by Shunsen (Shunsen nigao shu)"
1925
Color woodblock print; oban
The Actor Onoe Matsusuke IV as Nozarashi Kohei, from the series “Collection of Portraits by Shunsen (Shunsen nigao shu)"
1925
Color woodblock print; oban
The Actor Otani Tomoemon VI as Kan Shojo (Sugawara Michizane), from the series “Collection of Portraits by Shunsen (Shunsen nigao shu)"
1927
Color woodblock print; oban
Actor and Umbrella with Cherry Blossoms
Not set
Woodblock print
Ichikawa Shocho II as Oman
1922
Woodblock print
Kabuki Actor
Circa 1954
Woodblock print
Kabuki print 1
Not set
Woodblock print
Bunraku (A), Shôwa period, dated 1959
Woodblock print
BUNRAKU (classical puppet theater doll)
Woodblock print
Bunraku (G), Shôwa period, dated 1961
Woodblock print
Woman - Bunraku 1
Woodblock print
Inside the Hoga Kuza Theatre
Woodblock print
Inside the Hogaku Theater (Hogakuza naikei), from the series "New One Hundred Views of Tokyo (Shin Tokyo hyakkei)"
1929
Color woodblock print
My Daughter with Bunraku dolls
Woodblock print
Nakamura Kichiemon (Artist’s press proof)
Woodblock print
Öikawa River: The Puppet Master, Bungorö with a Bunraku Puppet
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.