The Adachi UKIYOE Award is seeking artists to become eshi (artists) who create contemporary ukiyo-e.
Ukiyo-e prints are a uniquely Japanese art form created through the collaboration of three specialists: the eshi, carver, and printer. Based on the eshi’s design, the carver carves the blocks and the printer transfers the image onto washi paper to complete a single ukiyo-e print. Hokusai, Hiroshige, and generations of other eshi have reflected in their works the customs, people, and atmosphere of their own times.
The Adachi UKIYOE Award was established in 2009 with the aim of discovering new eshi who can create ukiyo-e for the present day. We invite artists to take part in contemporary ukiyo-e production as eshi, creating original designs that will serve as the basis for woodcuts. We welcome the distinctive sensibilities and expressions of artists working today, without requiring them to follow traditional ukiyo-e styles.
The Grand Prize and Excellence Award winners will collaborate with Adachi’s carvers and printers to transform their own designs into traditional woodcuts. Working together with the artisans, they will take part in the production process, considering carving, printing, color, and other elements as the original design is transformed into a woodcut.
We invite you to join our artisans as a new eshi, creating ukiyo-e that reflects the world we live in today.

Learn More About the Adachi UKIYOE Award

Before applying, please be sure to read the following guide to understand traditional woodcut production and the role of the eshi.