Paper Tiger Japanese Art

Paper Tiger Japanese Art Paper Tiger specialises in Japanese art, with a particular passion for Japanese woodblock prints from the ukiyo-e and shin-hanga movements.

Paper Tiger buys, sells and values Japanese woodblock prints.

Japanese print shopping in Tokyo, which is your favourite?1. Hiroshi Yoshida 2. Kawase Hasui 3. Ohara Koson 4. Ito Shins...
05/24/2026

Japanese print shopping in Tokyo, which is your favourite?

1. Hiroshi Yoshida
2. Kawase Hasui
3. Ohara Koson
4. Ito Shinsui

To buy or sell prints

05/23/2026

An excellent collection of Shin Hanga (new) prints on exhibit from the Smithsonian at the Mitsubishi Itchigokan Museum in Tokyo.

Featuring masters like Hasui, Yoshida, Shotei, Bartlett & Shinsui

Tokyo has so many incredible woodblocks in museums and exhibitions.

Follow for more Tokyo art tips

Some finds from visiting Tokyo woodblock dealers yesterday. Which is your favourite? 1. Ohara Koson 2. Toshi Yoshida 3. ...
05/18/2026

Some finds from visiting Tokyo woodblock dealers yesterday. Which is your favourite?

1. Ohara Koson
2. Toshi Yoshida
3. Ito Shinsui
4. Yosh*toshi
5. Yosh*toshi

05/16/2026

A few paintings by woodblock Shin Hanga master, Ito Shinsui, up for sale in Tokyo in today’s sale.

Hasui snow scenes are his most coveted images. Why do some images become iconic and fetch much higher prices than others...
04/15/2026

Hasui snow scenes are his most coveted images.

Why do some images become iconic and fetch much higher prices than others?

He appeared, he changed Japanese printmaking forever, then he vanished.⁠⁠Toshusai Sharaku created his entire known body ...
04/06/2026

He appeared, he changed Japanese printmaking forever, then he vanished.⁠
⁠
Toshusai Sharaku created his entire known body of work in just 10 months (1794–1795) before disappearing without a trace, his true identity still one of art history’s great mysteries.⁠
⁠
Sharaku broke tradition by portraying Kabuki actors with striking psychological intensity - expressive, flawed, deeply human. Radical for Edo-period Japan, and a major reason he is now considered one of the most important figures in ukiyo-e.⁠
⁠
That rarity matters: strong impressions regularly achieve six-figure prices, with a record high of $721,000USD in 2018.⁠
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A mystery. A master. A legend. Sharaku.⁠
⁠

Did you know there’s an entire museum dedicated to Kuniyoshi, the Japanese woodblock master?
04/03/2026

Did you know there’s an entire museum dedicated to Kuniyoshi, the Japanese woodblock master?

Ohara Koson
03/26/2026

Ohara Koson

Ohara Koson is a master of kacho-e, Japanese bird and flower prints. ⁠⁠For serious collectors, one important considerati...
03/24/2026

Ohara Koson is a master of kacho-e, Japanese bird and flower prints. ⁠
⁠
For serious collectors, one important consideration: many Koson prints were produced after his death, often using the original blocks. While these posthumous prints are beautiful in their own right, lifetime impressions, with genuine publisher and artist seals, carry greater rarity and market interest. Knowing how to distinguish these can be crucial when building a meaningful collection.⁠
⁠
Today Koson’s work continues to attract strong collector demand, with the artist’s record at auction reaching around $60,000USD at auction.⁠
⁠
can help you find just the right Koson print for your collection

03/17/2026

There’s a fantastic exhibition on Yokai (Japanese ghosts, spirits & monsters) at the ethnography museum in Stockholm.

It features some original and some photographs of prints by Hokusai, Kuniyoshi & Yosh*toshi, among other mediums.

On the hunt for woodblock prints in Kyoto!⁠⁠There’s nothing quite like being in Japan itself, moving between dealer show...
03/07/2026

On the hunt for woodblock prints in Kyoto!⁠
⁠
There’s nothing quite like being in Japan itself, moving between dealer showrooms and auction previews in search of great prints. Kyoto and Tokyo remain the true epi-centres, home to the most knowledgeable dealers, the deepest inventories, and the strongest history for Japanese prints.⁠
⁠
But access isn’t easy. Japanese auction houses and print dealers are notoriously closed off to foreigners - relationships, trust, and time matter just as much as expertise. Many of the best works never make it online.⁠
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That’s why being on the ground is so valuable. Looking, learning, negotiating, and building long-term connections, so the best prints can eventually make their way into new collections around the world.⁠
⁠
The chase is half the magic

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