More than 100 traditional Japanese crafts – including artworks, armour, costume and printed materials – will be featured as part of an upcoming display at York Art Gallery, running from February 27 to August 30, 2026.
The exhibition, titled Making Waves: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Print, will include works by renowned artists Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Hiroshige and Kitagawa Utamaro, and will explore the history and evolution of Japanese woodblock printing.
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Eleanor Jackson, curator of fine art at York Art Gallery, said: “Making Waves will showcase an outstanding selection of Japanese woodblock prints spanning centuries of creativity and artistry, alongside other spectacular items.
“To bring them together in this way has been a privilege and we are so excited to unveil the exhibition in February.
“The support of national and regional museums as well as contemporary artists has been instrumental in allowing us to tell the story of this gorgeous art form. We are grateful to them for lending their precious works to York Art Gallery for this exhibition.”
Kitagawa Utamaro II, Nakanocho in the New Yoshiwara, 1810 (Image: YMT)
One of the highlights of the exhibition will be one of the original prints of Hokusai’s iconic The Great Wave off Kanagawa, on loan from Maidstone Museum.
The show will also feature items from York Art Gallery’s collection, some of which have never been on display before, alongside loans from other institutions including the British Library, the British Museum, and Durham Oriental Museum.
The exhibition will cover more than 300 years of printmaking, with a focus on the 18th and 19th centuries.
It will also include contemporary works by artists such as Rebecca Salter, president of the Royal Academy of Arts, and Nana Shiomi, whose 2001 print HOKUSAI’S WAVE (Right)- Happy Carp will be displayed alongside the woodblocks used to produce it.
Utagawa Hiroshige, Asakusa Rice-fields and Torinomachi Festival, from the series ‘One Hundred (Image: YMT)
Beyond the gallery walls, visitors can also enjoy a new Japanese-style dry garden, or ‘karesansui,’ designed for contemplation and reflection.
Steve Williams, Garden Manager at York Museums Trust, said: “We want to encourage visitors to continue their journey beyond the four walls of the Gallery, leaving behind the ‘floating world,’ as they connect with what we hope will be the meditative quality of our Japanese garden outside.
“All the materials included in the Japanese-style garden have been sourced with the intention of longer-term use, and they will be repurposed elsewhere in Museum Gardens following the exhibition.”
Chobunsai Eishi, Kasen of the Ogiya, from Six Select Beauties of the Gay Quarters, from a series (Image: YMT)
The exhibition will be supported by a programme of talks, workshops, and interactive experiences.
Siona Mackelworth, Head of Audience and Programme at York Museums Trust, said: “The ‘Making Waves’ exhibition is designed for anyone, whether they have an interest in Japanese art, or indeed anyone looking to visit York Art Gallery and get creative.”
‘Making Waves: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Print’ will run from 27 February to 30 August 2026 and will be included in general admission to York Art Gallery.
For more information and to book tickets, head to www.yorkartgallery.co.uk. For more information on the exhibition, visit Japanese Prints in York