Zōgahana nadagorō - Public domain portrait print

Woodblock printing in Japan (木版画, moku-hanga) is a technique best known for its use in the ukiyo-e artistic genre of single sheets, but it was also used for printing books in the same period. Woodblock printing had been used in China for centuries to print books, long before the advent of movable type, but was widely adopted in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868). Woodblock printing appeared in Japan at the beginning of Edo period, when Tokugawa shogunate was ruled by th​e Japanese society. This technique originated from China, where it was used to print books for many centuries. Its original name is ‘moku-hanga’ and it has a wide usage in artistic genre of ‘ukiyo-e’. As opposed to western tradition, where artists used oil-based inks for woodcuts, moku-hanga technique uses water-based inks. That is why those prints had colors so vivid, as well as glazes, and transparency. This collection describes Japanese printmaking different schools and movements. The most notable of them were: - From 1700: Torii school - From 1700-1714: Kaigetsudō school - From 1720s: Katasukawa school, including the artists Shunsho and Shuntei - From 1725: Kawamata school including the artists Suzuki Harunobu and Koryusai - From 1786: Hokusai school, including the artists Hokusai, Hokuei and Gakutei - From 1794: Kitagawa school, including the artists Utamaro I, Kikumaro I and II - From 1842: Utagawa school, including the artists Kunisada and Hiroshige - From 1904: Sōsaku-hanga, "Creative Prints" movement - From 1915: Shin-hanga "New Prints" school, including Hasui Kawase and Hiroshi Yoshida Woodblock prints were provided by the Library of Congress and cover the period from 1600 to 1980.

Sumo is a traditional Japanese martial art and form of wrestling that dates back to ancient times. It originated in the Edo period of Japan when it was a popular form of entertainment for the common people. The first recorded sumo match was held in the year 23 BCE. Over the centuries, sumo has evolved into a highly respected and ritualized sport, with strict rules and traditions. The origins of Sumo date back several centuries when the sport was developed as a way of preserving the ancient traditions of Shinto, a Japanese ethnic religion. Today, elements of the Shinto religion remain an integral part of Sumo wrestling, while the sport’s greatest contenders are elevated to celebrity status. Some famous sumoists include: Chiyonofuji (1953-2016): Chiyonofuji was a legendary sumo wrestler who was active from the 1970s to the 1990s. He was one of the most successful sumo wrestlers of all time, winning 31 top division championships and earning the title of yokozuna, the highest rank in sumo. Taiho (1940-2013): Taiho was a sumo wrestler who was active from the 1950s to the 1970s. He was one of the greatest sumo wrestlers of all time, winning a record 32 top division championships and earning the title of yokozuna. Kitanoumi (1952-present): Kitanoumi is a retired sumo wrestler who was active from the 1970s to the 1990s. He was one of the most successful sumo wrestlers of his time, winning 24 top division championships and earning the title of yokozuna. Asashoryu (1980-present): Asashoryu is a retired sumo wrestler who was active from the 2000s to the 2010s. He was one of the most dominant sumo wrestlers of his time, winning 25 top division championships and earning the title of yokozuna. Hakuho (1985-present): Hakuho is a current sumo wrestler who has been active since the early 2000s. He is one of the greatest sumo wrestlers of all time, with a record-tying 41 top division championships and a record-breaking 11 consecutive championships.