January 2014 Archives

Dear Customers and Friends,

Hello from Akiko　Yamada sending you our newsletter.
It is the coldest time of the year in Japan.
And there is a lot of flu going around.
I hear yogurt is effective to prevent the flu.
I hope your health is good!
This is today's lineup.

Index
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・Special Feature; Amachan, Diver.
・Shunga Exhibition at Shukado
・New Items

Last year a TV program gained much popularity.
That was " Amachan" which was broadcasted in NHK(National TV)

The main character, Aki Amano called "Amachan" is a shy and ordinary high-school girl in Tokyo. But one day, her mother takes her to her hometown in Kita-Sanriku,
The northern coastal area of Iwate Prefecture, where she meets her grandmother who is making a living as a woman diver catching fish.
She is so impressed with her job and aims to be like her grandmother. The young female diver gets to be known so soon and becomes an idol in this area. However, when a big show biz company spots her, she decides to go back to Tokyo dreaming of becoming a real idol.

Ama means a woman diver as a job to collect abalones, sea urchins and so on.
The history of ama goes back nearly 2000 years.

Ama diver is one of theme for Ukiyo-e.
This is Genji-e depicting Ama divers."
ToyokuniIII/Ama Divers

They collected abalones and are slicing them long and making "dried abalones".
The Japanese believe that the majority of ama are women.
Because their bodies differ from men.
The fat on a female body is distributed differently than on men, which ensures that they can stay warmer in colder water.
Traditionally, and even as recently as the 1960s, ama dove wearing only a loincloth. 
Even in modern times, ama dive without air tanks or scuba gears .

These ama divers in this ukiyo-e are picking octopuses!
Chikanobu/Beauties Watching Diving Girls

If you are interested in ama divers, you could read article about them.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/09/25/national/aging-ama-divers-defy-tide-of-time/#.UueOwjGCjZ4


Next, I would like to introduce you our exhibition which will start this Saturday.
We will mount Shunga exhibition from February 1 to February 15 at Shukado gallery.
"Utamakura" by Utamaro, "Fukujyuso" by Hokusai and Enshi Gojyu Yojo by Kunisada will be put on display.
Furthermore you could enjoy beautiful shunga by Eisho, Harunobu, Yanagawa Shigenobu, Eisen, Shiba Kokan and more.

"Shunga exhibition"
open 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. (weekdays)
11 a.m.-6 p.m. (Sunday and holidays)
Admission free 
Exhibition and sale
Access http://www.syukado.jp/en/access/index.html


New items!
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Hokusai　"Unusual Views of Celebrated Bridges in the Provinces, Mt. Gyodo"
"Fifty-three Stations of Tokaido"
"Hokusai manga"
Hiroshige　"A Series of Famous Places of Edo"
"One hundred Famous Views of Edo"
"Grand Series of Fishes"
Kuniyoshi "The Great Battle between Kai Province and Echigo Province at Kawanakajima"
"Nitta Shiro Tadatsune encounters the avatar of Mt. Fuji"
"Scribbles on a Storehouse Wall"
Utamaro "Beauties"
Toyokuni III "Tenjiku Tokubei"
"The Heroes of the Storehouse of Loyal Retainers"
Ikenaga Yasunari "Ikenaga Yasunari's Art Book" and more.

We renew our website almost every day!
Please visit our website.
If you have any question, please feel free to contact us!


Sincerel yours,
Akiko Yamada

Ukiyoe Gallery SHUKADO

http://www.japanese-finearts.com/



SHUKADO Co., Ltd

Address: Sone Building 7F, Ginza 6-4-8, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061

TEL:(international number)+81-3-3569-3620 FAX:+81-3-3569-3621

email: info@japanese-finearts.com