Hanga

Moonlight Prints (434)

Moon-lit scenes (tsuki) and lunar compositions in Japanese woodblock prints. Moonlight prints use dramatic tonal contrasts to evoke atmosphere, from full moons over castle towers to crescent moons reflected in still water.

Artists Known for Moonlight

Morning Moon - L by Amano Kunihiro

Morning Moon - L

1961

Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

Boy and Rooster in Moonlight by Jun'ichiro Sekino

Boy and Rooster in Moonlight

1959

Woodblock print

Full Moon over Matsuyama Castle (Matsuyamajo meigetsu) by Kawase Hasui

Full Moon over Matsuyama Castle (Matsuyamajo meigetsu)

December 1953

Color woodblock print

Winter Moon at Toyamagahara (Fuyu no tsuki [Toyamagahara]) by Kawase Hasui

Winter Moon at Toyamagahara (Fuyu no tsuki [Toyamagahara])

1931

Color woodblock print; oban

Autumn Full Moon by Ito Shinsui

Autumn Full Moon

Woodblock print

Hazy moon by Ito Shinsui

Hazy moon

Woodblock print

A pair of Flying Ducks and Moon by Ohara Koson

A pair of Flying Ducks and Moon

before 1912

Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

Crows in moonlight by Ohara Koson

Crows in moonlight

1927

Color woodblock print; oban

Egrets and Crescent Moon by Ohara Koson

Egrets and Crescent Moon

1926

Color woodblock print; oban

Flying Geese and Moon by Ohara Koson

Flying Geese and Moon

before 1912

Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

Fox by the Moonlit Water by Ohara Koson

Fox by the Moonlit Water

c. 1928–1930

Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

Two Mallards in Water Between Reeds and a Full Moon by Ohara Koson

Two Mallards in Water Between Reeds and a Full Moon

1920s

Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

Two White Rabbits Under a Full Moon by Ohara Koson

Two White Rabbits Under a Full Moon

c. 1928–1930

Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with embossing

Canal by Moonlight by Takahashi Shotei

Canal by Moonlight

Woodblock print

M-34 - Futayado - Moon at old country house by Takahashi Shotei

M-34 - Futayado - Moon at old country house

Woodblock print

M36- Moon rising at Nokizaki by Takahashi Shotei

M36- Moon rising at Nokizaki

Woodblock print

Moon from a Harbor by Takahashi Shotei

Moon from a Harbor

Woodblock print

Snowy night with a hazy moon by Takahashi Shotei

Snowy night with a hazy moon

Woodblock print

Hazy Moon in the Spring (Oboroharu) by Torii Kotondo

Hazy Moon in the Spring (Oboroharu)

1930

Woodblock print

Moon - 月 by Torii Kotondo

Moon - 月

1980

Woodblock print

No. 3 - Misty Spring Moon - おぼろ春 by Torii Kotondo

No. 3 - Misty Spring Moon - おぼろ春

1932 1980s)

Woodblock print

Stonehenge (Moonlight) by Yoshijiro Urushibara

Stonehenge (Moonlight)

Woodblock print

Moonlight Over Kinugawa Hot Springs (Kinugawa Onsen) by Hiratsuka Un'ichi

Moonlight Over Kinugawa Hot Springs (Kinugawa Onsen)

1940

Woodblock print

An Evening Moon by Hideo Hagiwara

An Evening Moon

1990–91

Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

C

Chikibu Island in Moonlight

Woodblock print

Work 616 - Moon and Bird by Maki Haku

Work 616 - Moon and Bird

1961

Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

Moonlight by Fumio Kitaoka

Moonlight

Woodblock print

A Cauldron on a Moonlit Night (Tsukiyo no kama), from the series "One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Tsuki hyakushi)" by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

A Cauldron on a Moonlit Night (Tsukiyo no kama), from the series "One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Tsuki hyakushi)"

1886

Color woodblock print; oban

By Request, Picture of Fujiwara Yasumasa Playing the Flute by Moonlight, a Painting Shown at the Exhibition for the Advancement of Painting in Autumn 1882 by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

By Request, Picture of Fujiwara Yasumasa Playing the Flute by Moonlight, a Painting Shown at the Exhibition for the Advancement of Painting in Autumn 1882

February 1883

Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper

Chang E Flees to the Moon by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

Chang E Flees to the Moon

1885

Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper

Kumasaka in the Misty Moonlight by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

Kumasaka in the Misty Moonlight

1887

Woodblock print

Moon and Smoke (Enchū no tsuki), from the series One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Tsuki hyaku sugata) by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

Moon and Smoke (Enchū no tsuki), from the series One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Tsuki hyaku sugata)

Meiji period, second month of 1886

Woodblock print in "ōban" format; ink and color on paper, with printed signature reading "Yoshitoshi"

Moon at Musashi Plain (Musashino no tsuki), from the series One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Tsuki hyaku sugata) by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

Moon at Musashi Plain (Musashino no tsuki), from the series One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Tsuki hyaku sugata)

Meiji period, 1892 (4th month)

Ukiyo-e woodblock print in "ōban" format; ink and color on paper, with printed signature reading "Yoshitoshi"

Moon of Enlightenment (Godo no tsuki), from the series "One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Tsuki hyakushi)" by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

Moon of Enlightenment (Godo no tsuki), from the series "One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Tsuki hyakushi)"

1881

Color woodblock print; oban

The Moon at Takakura by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

The Moon at Takakura

description

Woodblock print

The Moon over Gojo Bridge (Gojo no tsuki), from the series "Heroes for the Snow, Moon, and Flowers (Buyu setsugekka)" by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

The Moon over Gojo Bridge (Gojo no tsuki), from the series "Heroes for the Snow, Moon, and Flowers (Buyu setsugekka)"

1867

Color woodblock print; oban diptych

Full Moon with Crow on Plum Branch by Kawanabe Kyosai

Full Moon with Crow on Plum Branch

1880s

color woodblock print

Moon on a chilly night at Akashicho, Tsukiji — 築地明石町寒夜之月 by Kobayashi Kiyochika

Moon on a chilly night at Akashicho, Tsukiji — 築地明石町寒夜之月

Woodblock print

Moon through Rain at Gohan Matsu — 五本松雨月 by Kobayashi Kiyochika

Moon through Rain at Gohan Matsu — 五本松雨月

Woodblock print

Moonlight on the Tea Houses at Imado Bridge by Kobayashi Kiyochika

Moonlight on the Tea Houses at Imado Bridge

Woodblock print

Moonlit Sea at Kawasaki by Kobayashi Kiyochika

Moonlit Sea at Kawasaki

1877

Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper

Summer Moon at Iwado by Kobayashi Kiyochika

Summer Moon at Iwado

1881

Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper

Teahouses at Imadobashi on a Moonlit Night by Kobayashi Kiyochika

Teahouses at Imadobashi on a Moonlit Night

c. 1877 (Meiji 10)

Woodblock print (nishiki-e): ink and color on paper

View of Ushimachi in Takanawa by Hazy Moonlight by Kobayashi Kiyochika

View of Ushimachi in Takanawa by Hazy Moonlight

1879 (Meiji 12)

Woodblock print (nishiki-e): ink and color on paper

Kotohiki Shrine, Sanuki Province, Moon, from by Toyohara Chikanobu

Kotohiki Shrine, Sanuki Province, Moon, from

Woodblock print

Moon Guiter by Toyohara Chikanobu

Moon Guiter

Woodblock print

Moon Viewing at Ishiyama by Toyohara Chikanobu

Moon Viewing at Ishiyama

Woodblock print

Harvest Moon by Clifton Karhu

Harvest Moon

Not set

Woodblock print

Autumn Moon at Ishiyama (Ishiyama shugetsu), from the series "Eight Views of Omi (Omi hakkei no uchi)" by Utagawa Hiroshige

Autumn Moon at Ishiyama (Ishiyama shugetsu), from the series "Eight Views of Omi (Omi hakkei no uchi)"

c. 1834

Color woodblock print; oban

Plum Blossom and the Moon from the Book Mount Fuji in Spring (Haru no Fuji) by Katsushika Hokusai

Plum Blossom and the Moon from the Book Mount Fuji in Spring (Haru no Fuji)

c. 1803

Woodblock- printed book

Tsukasa and Other Courtesans of the Ogiya Watching the Autumn Moon Rise Over Rice Fields from a Balcony in the Yoshiwara by Katsushika Hokusai

Tsukasa and Other Courtesans of the Ogiya Watching the Autumn Moon Rise Over Rice Fields from a Balcony in the Yoshiwara

1799

Surimono; color woodblock print

Full Moon over Takanawa, from the series Famous Places in the Eastern Capital by Utagawa Hiroshige

Full Moon over Takanawa, from the series Famous Places in the Eastern Capital

c. 1831

color woodblock print

The Moon Seen Through Leaves (Hagoshi no Tsuki), from the series "Twenty-eight Views of the Moon (Tsuki nijuhakkei no uchi)" by Utagawa Hiroshige

The Moon Seen Through Leaves (Hagoshi no Tsuki), from the series "Twenty-eight Views of the Moon (Tsuki nijuhakkei no uchi)"

c. 1832

Color woodblock print; otanzaku

Moon by Utagawa Kunisada

Moon

Yamashiro Arashiyama Togetsukyo / Shokoku Meikyo Kiran by Katsushika Hokusai

Yamashiro Arashiyama Togetsukyo / Shokoku Meikyo Kiran

Woodblock print

Engetsu Island, Shirahama (Shirahama Engetsuto) by Kawase Hasui

Engetsu Island, Shirahama (Shirahama Engetsuto)

1951

Color woodblock print

Luna by Sarah Brayer

Luna

Not set

Woodblock print

Autumn Moon of the Jewel River, View of Fishermen Catching Sweetfish (Tamagawa shugetsu, Tamagawa ayukumi no zu), from the series "Eight VIews of Famous Places (Meisho hakkei)" by Utagawa Toyokuni I

Autumn Moon of the Jewel River, View of Fishermen Catching Sweetfish (Tamagawa shugetsu, Tamagawa ayukumi no zu), from the series "Eight VIews of Famous Places (Meisho hakkei)"

c. 1833/34

Color woodblock print; oban

Mellon Blossoms in Moonlight by Koji Ikuta

Mellon Blossoms in Moonlight

2006

Mezzotint

(Michiyuki) nekoyanagi sakari no tsukikage by Utagawa Kuniyoshi

(Michiyuki) nekoyanagi sakari no tsukikage

Woodblock print

Related Subjects

Frequently Asked Questions

Moon-lit scenes (tsuki) and lunar compositions in Japanese woodblock prints. Moonlight prints use dramatic tonal contrasts to evoke atmosphere, from full moons over castle towers to crescent moons reflected in still water.

Utagawa Hiroshige, Kawase Hasui, and Tsukioka Yoshitoshi are among the artists most associated with moonlight in our collection. Browse the full list of artists who explored this subject above.

Hanga currently catalogues 434 prints tagged with moonlight, spanning ukiyo-e, shin-hanga, and sōsaku-hanga traditions where applicable.