Mythology Prints (233)
Mythological and legendary subjects in Japanese woodblock prints, featuring characters from Japanese folklore, ghost stories (kaidan), supernatural beings (yokai), and tales from classical literature like The Tale of Genji and The Tale of the Heike.
Artists Known for Mythology

Left: Kurikara Kengorō; right: Hohodemi-no-mikoto
1867, 8th lunar month
Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper

Susano-o no Mikoto, Shinto's Mythical Ruler of the Tides
Woodblock print

Miroku
Woodblock print

God of Wealth Daikokuten�fs Lucky Drawing
Woodblock print

Woman Representing Good Fortune
1753–1806
color woodblock print
Land of the Pygmies (Kojin koku)
Fifth month of 1863
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper

Chiyono Kotobuki (A Thousand Years of Long Life)
1863

Uto monogatari Saginuma Taro Etchu Tateyama jigoku o hiru zu
Woodblock print

Mitate No.52 - Mask (Men)
2002

Mitate No.95 - Hannya Mask (Hannya)
2015

Princess Sotoori (Sotoori-hime), from the series Sketches by Gekkô (Gekkô zuihitsu)
Woodblock print

Amaterasu, The Sun Goddess and Sister of Susan-o Before She Hid in Her Cave
Woodblock print
Sagami Jirō and Taira no Masakado, from the series Yoshitoshi's Incomparable Warriors (Yoshitoshi mushaburui)
Meiji period, datable to 1883
Ukiyo-e woodblock print in "ōban" format; ink and color on paper

Genzanmi Yorimasa and I no Hayata
October 1878
Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper

Ikkai Sketches (Ikkai manga), vol. 1
1866

Mitate No.81 - Feather Mantle (Hagoromo)
2007

Hi No Kami
1937
Woodblock print

Shaka no Saku
1957
Woodblock print

Fu Sho nosaku
1957
Woodblock print

Prayer, Design B
1939
Woodblock print

Ragora, from the series Ten Great Disciples of Shaka (Shaka jûdai deshi)
1939
Woodblock print

Sugawara Michizane Expelled
Feburary 1884
Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper

Raijin (God of Thunder)
1937
Woodblock print

Gesshin
1937
Woodblock print

Dainichi Nyorai
1937
Woodblock print

Shaka Nyorai
1937
Woodblock print

(Kwannon Goddess)
1930-1974
Woodblock print

Two Doll Figures
20th century
Woodblock print

Hell is Booming
November 1894
Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper

Princess showing upper arm
1958
Woodblock print, ink on paper

Weasel
c. 1920s
Woodblock print

Fugen Bosatsu
1960
Woodblock print

Gensami Yorimasa and Ino Hayata
Woodblock print

Hirushana Butsu
1937
Woodblock print

Boshin
1937
Woodblock print

The Wife's Surprise (Tsumatachi no saku), from the series "The Tale of the Auklet (Uto Hanga-kan)"
1938
Woodblock print

The disciple Subodai / Shaka ju dai deshi (Ten Great Followers of Shaka)
1939 (designed)
Woodblock print

Sugawara Michizane in Exile
Feburary 1884
Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper

Shishikutsu (In the Cave)
1953
Woodblock print

Narcissos, Inspired by Marcus Enckel
2022
Mokuhanga

Echo, Inspired by Alexandre Cabanel
2022
Mokuhanga

New Moon (From Yoshitoshi Series)
2011
Mokuhanga

Glaukos, Shôwa period, dated 1965?
Woodblock print

Rainbow Serpent (34/100)
Woodblock print
Bellerophon
Shōwa period, dated 1965?
Woodblock print; ink on paper with signature reading "Hideo Hagiwara"

Artemis (Arutemisu)
1966 (?)
Woodblock print; edition 12/50

Chase (21/30)
Woodblock print

Yakushi Nyorai (God of Medicine)
1937
Woodblock print

Kannonkyo II (37/66)
Woodblock print

Untitled, scene of the other world, No. 4 from
Woodblock print

Artemis (27/50)
Woodblock print

Motomezuka
Woodblock print

Tamomo no Mae, with Poem by Fumiya Asayasu, from the series "Ogura Versions of the One Hundred Poets (Ogura nazorae Hyakunin isshu)"
c. 1845/48
Color woodblock print; oban
![Bakchos [=Bacchus] (Bakkasu) by Hideo Hagiwara](https://data.ukiyo-e.org/mfa/images/sc206641.jpg)
Bakchos [=Bacchus] (Bakkasu)
Woodblock print

Medusa (Medyusa)
Woodblock print
Phaethon, from the portfolio Greek Mythology
1965
Woodblock print; ink on paper

Wind Goddess (Gold) (38/50)
Woodblock print

Ebisu (29/40)
Woodblock print

Phaethon, Shôwa period, dated 1965?
Woodblock print

Haumea (38/100)
Woodblock print
Related Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
Mythological and legendary subjects in Japanese woodblock prints, featuring characters from Japanese folklore, ghost stories (kaidan), supernatural beings (yokai), and tales from classical literature like The Tale of Genji and The Tale of the Heike.
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Shiko Munakata, and Hideo Hagiwara are among the artists most associated with mythology in our collection. Browse the full list of artists who explored this subject above.
Hanga currently catalogues 233 prints tagged with mythology, spanning ukiyo-e, shin-hanga, and sōsaku-hanga traditions where applicable.




