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Event History
The Adachi UKIYOE Award was established by the Adachi Foundation for the Preservation of Woodcut Printing to discover talented artists and create new ukiyo-e for the present day. Ukiyo-e was traditionally created through a collaborative process involving an eshi (artist), horishi (carver), and surishi (printer). The Award carries this tradition into the present by inviting contemporary artists to take on the role of the eshi and develop new designs in collaboration with highly skilled woodblock artisans. Now in its 18th edition, the Award has welcomed submissions from artists in Japan and around the world. Selected artists have gone on to create original works that are carved and printed by professional artisans using traditional Japanese woodcut printing techniques. Through the Award, the Foundation aims both to support emerging artistic talent and to pass traditional woodblock printing techniques on to future generations while exploring new possibilities for contemporary ukiyo-e.
What Makes this event different?
Unlike a conventional art competition, the Adachi UKIYOE Award does not simply select an existing work for display or publication. It invites artists to take on the role of the eshi—the artist who creates the original design in the traditional ukiyo-e production process. Applicants do not need any previous experience in woodcut printing. Their submitted works are reviewed to understand their artistic style, individuality, and potential for ukiyo-e. After the selection, the winner creates a new design specifically for the project and works closely with professional carvers and printers to transform it into a traditional Japanese woodcut print. This unique collaborative process brings together contemporary artistic expression and highly skilled craftsmanship that has been passed down through generations. The Award gives artists the rare opportunity to see their own imagery reinterpreted through the techniques and collaborative spirit of traditional ukiyo-e production.
Copyright Policy
Copyright in all submitted works remains with the applicant. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their submissions do not infringe any third-party copyrights or other rights. For judging and publicity related to the Award, the Foundation may use and publish images and information about winning works, together with the winners’ names or artist names, nationalities, countries of residence, and biographical information, on its website, in printed materials, and in other media. The Grand Prize and Excellence Award winners will create new designs for woodcut production after the selection; the works submitted for judging will not themselves be reproduced as woodcuts. Copyright, use of the newly created work, ownership of the woodblocks and completed prints, sales, and other related matters will be discussed and agreed upon separately with the winning artists before production begins.
Image Usage Rights
By submitting an application, applicants grant the Foundation permission to use images of their submitted works for the administration and judging of the Award. Images of winning works may also be used for the announcement, promotion, documentation, and archival purposes of the Adachi UKIYOE Award, including on the Foundation’s website, social media, printed materials, press materials, and other related media. Copyright in the submitted works remains with the applicants. Use of the images for purposes unrelated to the Award will not be made without the artist’s permission.
Adachi UKIYOE Award: International Art Competition
The Adachi UKIYOE Award is an international art competition organized by the Adachi Foundation for the Preservation of Woodcut Printing. The Award invites artists to bring fresh ideas and contemporary expression to the tradition of ukiyo-e, the Japanese art of woodblock printing.
About the Award
Traditionally, ukiyo-e prints are created through a collaborative process. The eshi (artist) develops the original design, which is then interpreted and produced by professional horishi (carvers) and surishi (printers).
The Award invites contemporary artists to take on the role of the eshi and explore new possibilities for ukiyo-e by collaborating with highly skilled traditional artisans. No previous experience in woodcut printing is required.
What the Award Seeks
The competition is looking for artists with a distinctive visual language, originality, and the potential to create compelling imagery for contemporary ukiyo-e.
Applicants must submit images of 3–5 previously created works. These submissions will be reviewed to assess each artist’s style and individuality; the submitted works themselves will not be reproduced as woodcuts.
Following the selection process, the first- and second-prize winners will each develop a new, original design specifically for woodcut production. They will then collaborate with professional carvers and printers at the Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints to bring their designs to life.
Eligibility
Open to artists in Japan and internationally.
Applicants must be at least 15 years old. Those under 18 must obtain consent from a parent or legal guardian.
Submitted works must be two-dimensional and may be created by hand or digitally.
No specialist knowledge or previous experience in traditional Japanese woodcut printing is required.
Any use of AI in creating submitted works must be disclosed.
Why Apply?
The Adachi UKIYOE Award offers artists the opportunity to experience the collaborative process that has defined ukiyo-e for centuries. Selected artists will see their original designs transformed into woodblock prints by professional carvers and printers using traditional Japanese techniques.
The Award provides an opportunity to contribute contemporary artistic expression to a living Japanese art tradition.
Application Details
Application deadline: December 25, 2026 (Japan Standard Time)
Application fee: JPY 2,000
An application is considered complete only after both the application form and the application fee have been received.
For more information, please visit the Event Website.
