Do You Know the Difference Between Ukiyo-e from Kansai (Kamigata) and Tokyo (Edo)?
Understanding This Might Reveal the True Identity of Sharaku The Differences Between Ukiyo-e from Kansai (Kamigata) and Tokyo (Edo) In a previous post, I wrote that “Ukiyo-e is a genre of painting that was established in the early Edo period.” This statement is generally accepted. However, according to the website of the Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum (1-6-4 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka), “Hand-painted ukiyo-e originated in Kamigata during the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573-1603). Famous examples include Shijo-Kawara no Zu and Rakuchu Rakugai Zu.” I’ll leave the exact timing of the birth of ukiyo-e to the scholars, but today, I will explore the differences between ukiyo-e from Kansai (Kamigata) and Tokyo (Edo). Nishiki-e (full-color woodblock prints) were invented in Edo in 1765. Later, in 1791, ukiyo-e prints, known as Kamigata ukiyo-e, began to be produced in Kansai (Kamigata) as well. Kamigata ukiyo-e, primarily created in Osaka, predominantly depicted kabuki actors. Unlike Edo’s actor prints, which idealized the actors, Kamigata ukiyo-e portrayed them with human qualities. These prints were characterized by their lack of flamboyance, natural depiction, and intense gazes. Overseas, they are popular as “Osaka Prints.” Kamigata ukiyo-e rarely featured Bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) or Meisho-e (landscape prints). In Kamigata, there was a