York Art Gallery to host large Japanese print exhibition

Opening on February 27, 2026, Making Waves features woodblock prints ranging from the 17th to 21st centuries with a focus on the art form’s pinnacle in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The exhibition boasts works from York Art Gallery’s extensive collection along with internationally renowned pieces like Katsushika Hokusai’s The Great Wave.

Chobunsai Eishi, Kasen of the Ogiya, from Six Select Beauties of the Gay Quarters, from a series of the twelve months, 1790s(Image: YMT)

The famous piece is on loan from Maidstone Museum.

Making Waves will highlight artists such as Kitagawa Utamaro, Katsushika Hokusai, and Utagawa Hiroshige.

Their vibrant creations, shaped by changing society, continue to mesmerise audiences worldwide long after their creation.

Utagawa Hiroshige, Kozuke Province Mount Haruna under Snow, from the series, ‘Famous Places in the Sixty-odd Provinces’ 1853(Image: YMT)

Viewers will be introduced to Japanese woodblock printing from its origins, techniques, and the influence of culture, society, and nature.

In addition to the indoor displays, visitors will witness the transformation of the York Museum Gardens into a Japanese-style garden.

Utagawa Hiroshige, Asakusa Rice-fields and Torinomachi Festival, from the series ‘One Hundred Famous Views of Edo’, part 4 Winter, 1857(Image: YMT)

The garden is set to take shape over the coming months.

The exhibition will run until August 30, 2026, and is included in the general admission to York Art Gallery.

A complete programme of accompanying events, promoting creativity and wellbeing, will be revealed in due course.

Kitagawa Utamaro II, Nakanocho in the New Yoshiwara, 1810(Image: YMT)