Fu Takenaka – Hirano Shrine

Original woodblock print, numbered 54/200. The first edition of this design was published in the Heisei period (1989 – 2019). The current print was printed in 2024.

Hirano Shrine was established in 794 but, after more then a millennium, was damaged severely by a typhoon in 2018. The current print is from before that moment. In it Fu Takenaka depicts the ancient Shrine along with the Cherry Blossoms for which it is famous.

Image size (excluding margins): 32.4 * 22.0 cm (12.8 * 8.7 in).

The print is in excellent condition.

The pictures shown here are from the print itself.

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Fu Takenaka (1945 – 2022) was a successful woodblock print artist. She had a background in design, fashion and fabric, and transitioned to woodblock printing later in life. Her favorite themes were temples in and around Kyoto and owls. She depicted these in a dreamlike style, very distinct from other Japanese woodblock print artists.

Fu Takenaka collaborated with the Kyoto based woodblock print publisher Unsodo, but designed, carved and printed the works herself, from start to finish. They were published in limited editions, hand-signed and numbered in pencil. Since her passing Unsodo has started to complete her limited editions. Currently we have both the first of these as well as a number of remaining life-time editions on offer.

See an overview of Fu Takenaka's woodblock prints