#mokuhankan

[atelier-sento]

⛩️ Spirit of the Forest ⛩️

A woodblock print designed by us and handprinted by Mokuhankan, a traditional Japanese ukiyoe workshop set in Asakusa, Tokyo.

There is definitely a ghost in this machine, don’t you think?

[beifongkendo]

‘Sushi Cats’ by Jed Henry, traditionally made woodblock print (at Mokuhankan woodblock workshop in Tokyo).

[paperheartsbleedink]

'Trouble Afoot' handmade woodblock print

Ukiyo-e Heroes series concepted and illustrated by artist Jed Henry. Printed by craftsman Dave Bull and his Mokuhankan studio.

[choku8december]

[lucyhart-viscomm]

Yokai Faceoff - Mokuhankan

"Where might we find yokai in our modern society, and how would they terrorize us?"

Japanese studio, Mokuhankan, specialise in creating traditional woodblock prints, usually by the traditional size of 4.5 x 6 inches. They’ve created various collections using this technique, such as A Japan Journey looking at various interesting places encountered through Japan, and Legendary Loot, a fun comic style looking at the humourous tropes of video games.

Their collection, Yokai Faceoff, Mokuhankan created a selection of 12 woodblock prints centred around the folklore phenomena. The prints focus on modern interpretations of yokai, some styled to be traditional, and yokai interacting with the modern world. Some of the prints, such as the Magic Hammer and the Reality Distortion Mirror yokai go more with a traditional, oddly posed style similar to those done in Toriyama Sekien’s Gazu Hyakki Yagyo (which was translated into Japandemonium Illustrated) and the woodblock prints he used in that. The forms really make use of the imperfect lines woodblock prints give, thickness giving weight and impact to curved lines.

The modern yokai they designed shows just how effectively yokai can adapt to modern society and the changes within it. Yokai themselves are a concept to explain the unexplainable and showing how they could be perceived nowadays is a really interesting in how others think yokai could develop. Even though a lot of the mysteries that created yokai have been debunked by greater knowledge, there are still phenomena that we encounter today, which can be acknowledged and shared even more so due to social media and create yokai, such as the Headlight Horror based on a car.

Seeing people keeping woodblock printing alive is encouraging for other traditional art media that may be considered ‘obsolete’ due to modern methods, especially as Yokai collections were initially illustrated using these techniques. The uneven weight of the lines it creates is a fun way to picture a yokai, and almost captures their slightly angular, unexpected nature. Though I likely won’t be able to do woodblock print in my own project, taking inspiration from the style could help in picturing the Yokai’s designs.

[maracozzolino]

another amazing morning.. went back to David Bull @mokuhankan shop in Asakusa so watch a bit of traditional mokuhanga printing... these two ladies were so focused and produced such lovely work, truly inspiring. And thanks again to amazing David, such a generous person #mokuhanga #giappone #tokyo #asakusa #tokyo2019 #japan2019 #mokuhankan #artisticresidency #printmaker #printing #printmaking (at Mokuhankan) https://www.instagram.com/p/BvaxfFInXlo/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wiptmq7gy9nc

[atelier-sento]

So much has happened in 2025, but the major events have been our cameo in Hideo Kojima’s video game Death Stranding 2, our collaboration with Mokuhankan on a series of Japanese traditional prints, and the release of vol.2 of our Tokyo Mystery Café comic book series.

What a year! 😳

[paperheartsbleedink]

'Spirited Inn' (print #1 of A Woodblock Pilgrimage, 2019) Illustrated by Jed Henry. Carved and printed by craftsman David Bull and his Mokuhankan studio