Tired of sending your best customers and employees the same tired holiday gifts? This year, try something they will never forget. Choose from our amazing selection of Sushi and Sake Sets, Beautiful Vases from China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Peru, Nicaragua, and Mexico. Over 7,000 different Arts & Crafts available at affordable prices. Each year we work with every type of business from small and medium size to Fortune 500 companies. Investment Firms, pharmaceutical Companies, Casinos, Law Firms, Retail Chains; we have provided products for all of them.

Click here to visit our site

If you were to look back to the earliest Ukiyo-e woodblock prints, you would see that only Sumi ink was used, which was black. This particular ink was created by mixing soot with water. Because of the ink, the woodblock prints were called Sumizuri-e. However, from 1704 to 1715 during the Kanei and Shotoku periods, mineral pigment was used to create two to three colors, which was then called Tan-e.
Over the next 15 years during the Kyoho period, vegetable pigment was used. This ink was created from using Beni, which is a type of safflower, giving the prints a slight look of transparency. The prints using vegetable pigment soon changed to Beni-e, which resulted in prints that were brushed by hand but simply beautiful.Read More…

Known as Torii Kiyonaga, some of the greatest Bijinga prints created during the latter part of the 19^th century were done by this Japanese Ukiyo-e printmaker and painter. He began his career in the world of art in 1752, continuing until 1815. Having attended the Torii School, his name had been changed from Sekiguchi Shinsuke. His father was a bookseller in Edo.
Torii Kiyonaga was so well regarded by his master Torii that after the master’s death, he took over the school. Soon, he became recognized as one of the greatest masters of Nishiki-e, which is full-color print, as well as Bijinga, which are images of beautiful women. In addition, Torii Kiyonaga also focused some of his work on Kabuki actors and theatrical scenes, which were often used to help promote the theater and/or the show being performed.
One of Torii Kiyonaga’s legacies is that while he had a common upbringing, his paintings are exceptional and beautifully detailed. Many of the beautiful women shown in Torii Kiyonaga’s prints are seen are full and mature while his predecessor Harunobu, preferred to paint thin, young women. The bottom line is that both men had different tastes. However, it is also believed that since larger sheets of paper where used, it allowed better depiction.
Over time, another artist appeared on the scene by the name of Utamaro. He too painted woodblock prints of beautiful women but even fuller and more mature than what you saw from Torii Kiyonaga. While the paintings of women were gorgeous, the Kabuki scenes were somewhat on the plain side but still high in demand. Keep in mind that during this time, many of the other Japanese artists began painting actors but Torii Kiyonaga chose to stick with scenes and beautiful women.
By the late 18^th century, Kiyonaga’s work had matured. At this time, he created a number of masterpieces, again featuring full, mature, and beautiful women, along with theatrical scenes. While his work is of high artist quality, the fact that he was the first Asian artist to create perfect designs of full-length portraits shot him to success and fame.

Kochoro Kunisada was a Japanese artist famous for his woodblock prints. During the Ukiyo-e period, many of these prints focused on the “floating world” image. Kunisada was particularly focused on this genre. For instance, one of his most famous woodblock prints is called Beauty with a Letter; Juronin with a Deer. What you would see in this case is a Buddha floating above the beauty. In this case, woodblock prints such as this were often associated with the Buddhist believe with the floatation being the illusory quality of life.
Typically, woodblock prints focused had a distinct focus on festivals and changing seasons, rituals, landscapes, and illustrations of poetry. However, at the end of the Edo period, all prints made had to be approved by the Japanese government prior to releasing and selling. With Kunisada, he would often take everyday scenes and transform them into something peaceful and serene.
In one instance, Kunisada added a dog, coupled with a beautiful woman sitting while reading a letter. However, the depiction in the woodblock print was the dog wanting to play, thus asking for her attention. In addition, you would see, as the dog is trying to interrupt the woman, she envisions Buddha in her mind, which signifies the value and honor of religion.
The interesting thing about Kunisada’s work is the influence of Buddha. Keep in mind that many woodblock prints were focused on people or scenes, not religion. Therefore, his special skill makes the demand for his prints much higher. This versatility has imprinted his name on Japanese history, making him one of the most interesting artist’s of this time.

Paper sculpture in the form of fans lanterns and ornaments has existed since the 1st century when paper was first invented. China introduced paper to Japan in the 7th century. This is where the three dimensional art of paper folding and origami came from. Paper remains a popular medium for artists all over the world. These wonderful framed paper sculptures are made from 100% rag and archival papers. The assortment of papers used are selected for their color weight and texture. For many sculptures additional color is applied as well as extra texture in the form of engravings and embossing. Each piece is an extraordinary piece of art handcrafted in China.

We just added a great selection of Jade Sculptures to our website. Choose from Tang Horses, Dragons, Foo Dogs, Money Frogs, and more.

Save an additional 20% off all our Inside Painted Snuff Bottles. Choose from dozens of different designs. Each bottle is hand painted in one of the finest workshops in China.

Save an extra 15% on all Woodblock Prints. Choose from prints by Hiroshige, Hokusai, Utamaro, and more. New prints will also be added soon. Japanese Woodblock Print created by the Fukui Asajido Company in Kyoto Japan using the old world techniques.

All Mammoth Ivory Netsuke are now on sale. Save an additional 15% off our already low prices. We have nearly 200 different designs in stock with nearly 100 more being added over the next few days. Be sure to check early and often for the best selection.

In Asian culture, woodblock prints were extremely popular options of art. Today, you still find people around the world interested in this type of art, being unique, detailed, and beautifully colored. One particular artist of woodblock prints is named Chikanobu. While there are a number of interesting factors surrounding this artist, the most fascinating is his split personality, which resulted in varying styles of work. For starters, Chikanobu was known to create Kabuki theater triptychs. Typically, these woodblock prints were designed using vibrant colors such as purple and red. Included in these productions were various style figures that you would expect from the Utagawa School but little creativity or originality. However, Chikanobu’s other genre was related to history, specifically during the late 19th century. Many of these pieces have become exceedingly popular to include “Snow, Moon, and Flowers”, and “Shin Bijin”. Read More…

Suzuki Harunobu’s career of painting woodblock prints began in 1725 and lasted until 1770. As a student of Shigenaga, he soon became one of the most cherished of all Ukiyo-e style artists. In fact, historians tell us that Harunobu was an innovator. In 1765, he has credit for being the first artist to produce full-color prints, which meant the older style of two and three-color prints was put to rest. The other issue surrounding Harunobu that makes him unique is that he ventured away from standard techniques, coming up with new, innovative methods of painting. In addition, this artist was known for painting a large variety of things ranging from contemporary style beautiful women to classical poems. Just as many other famous artists from this period, Harunobu became involved with painting exotic women in the Shunga style. He was so detailed and skilled at what he did that a number of other artists began to imitate Harunobu’s style, actually allowing him to become known as an incredible master. Read More …

Yixing Teapots and Tea Sets were just added to our site this weekend. The tiny air pockets in the fired clay provide insulation and enrich the aroma and taste of the tea. With continued use the yixing tea pot will absorb the flavor of the tea… again enhancing the aroma and taste. Yixing tea pots date back to the Sung Dynasty.

These adorable frog and lizard figures are from the Golden Pond Collection by Green Tree. These products originated in Dehua, China … one of the finest ceramic capitals of Asia with over 3000 years of ceramic history and culture. A process of 8 working procedures all fired at differnet temperatures is how the hand painted finish is achieved on these wonderful collectible pieces.

Each piece has a felt bottom to protect both the ceramic piece and the surface where placed. Comes complete in a gift box. Handcrafted in Dehua, China.

Back in stock again, we have the most amazing porcelain Foo Dog pairs available. These are by far the best we have seen. The colors and the design will definately draw your vistors’ attention. And the are good for Feng Shui. These sold out very fast last time we had them.

We just finished adding some new Sushi Set designs to our site. Some of them also have matching noodle and rice bowls as well as Sake Sets.

We just added dozens of new Sake Sets to our site. These are all new designs that were not available before.

Added to our site today:

Beijing Silk Embroidery. Over a hundred different designs in stock. Choose from a great selection of Dragons, Koi, Landscapes, and our famous 100 Children.

Just added today…

An amazing selection of high quality Mammoth Ivory Netuke. Great designs including Geisha, Doctor’s Ladies, and more.

The Japanese art of Ukiyo-e developed in the city of Edo (now Tokyo) during the Tokugawa or Edo Period (1615-1868). These two names refer to the relatively peaceful 250 years during which the Tokugawa shoguns ruled Japan and made Edo the shogunal seat of power.

The social hierarchy of the day, officially established by shogun rulers, placed the merchants, the wealthiest segment of the population, at the lower end of the scale. With their political power effectively removed, the merchant class turned to art and culture as arenas in which they could participate on an equal basis with the elite upper classes (warriors, farmers, and artisans). It was the collaboration among the merchants, artists, publishers, and townspeople of Edo that gave Ukiyo-e its unique voice. In turn, Ukiyo-e provided these groups with a means of attaining cultural status outside the sanctioned realms of shogunate, temple, and court.

Although Ukiyo-e was initially considered “low” art, by and for the non-elite classes, its artistic and technical caliber is consistently remarkable. Reading the images demands an extremely high level of visual, textual, and cultural literacy. From its earliest days, Ukiyo-e images and texts frequently referred to themes from classical, literary, and historical sources. At the same time, Ukiyo-e constantly expanded to reflect contemporary tastes, concerns, and innovations over the two and a half centuries of its development. The result was an art that was both populist (of and for the people, readily accessible, plentiful, affordable) and highly sophisticated. In summary, Ukiyo-e presented both the historical and all that was current, fashionable, chic, and popular. In the hands of the Ukiyo-e artist, the ordinary was transformed into the extraordinary.