Woodblock print master - Mr.Naotaro Nagao

Hi, I have just come back from Japan.
It was hot summer and enjoyed beach, fireworks and Beer & Edamame(steamed beans) very much.

When I am in Tokyo, I like to walk around downtown especially Asakusa-bashi, kuramae to Asakusa, Ueno.

There are still many traditional art&craft whole sellers.

I knew from magazines and news paper about Mr Nagao.
His family started wood block print since Edo period. At Edo period, wood block prints were cheap as same as a noodle. So it was the art for general people.

He reprints Hokusai, Utamaro, Yumeji through his whole life(more than 75 years). He often commented "Japanese should respect our traditional arts. Now his family start to take over his traditional technique.

I personally like his prints "Cat" series which were originally made by Hokusai. I bought a couple of Hokusai, Utamaro, Yumeji's prints. If you have chance to pop in Paddington, Brisbane. Please have a look the original his works at Kazuyo's collection(98 Latrobe tce Paddington)!
Even now the price is unbelievable reasonable too!