Clifton Karhu - Warajiya

Name: Clifton Karhu - Warajiya
Brand: Kumo Arts
Price: 800.00 GBP
Availability: OutOfStock

£800.00

Modern | Sōsaku Hanga Woodblock Print

Clifton Karhu’s 1985 woodblock frames the noren-screened entrance of Warajiya, Kyoto’s historic unagi restaurant, revealing its cobbled path and hint of a tranquil garden. 🍽️🌿

Year & Edition: 1985 · Ed. of 100 (37/100) (signed in pencil, lower right).
Medium: Woodblock.
Dimensions: Image H: 30.5 cm × W: 30.5 cm; Sheet H: 38.0 cm × W: 40.5 cm.
Condition: Excellent; image clear and unblemished; paper clean & intact.
Notes: Karhu created a series on Kyoto’s celebrated unagi (eel) restaurants - this print and its companion Edogawa are part of that group. Warajiya, founded in 1624, is renowned for its unagi hotpot and congee, set beside a Zen garden just steps from Sanjusangendo (三十三間堂). The composition - focusing on the weathered wood frame, noren curtain and cobbled entrance - captures both the restaurant’s centuries-old heritage and its serene setting within Kyoto’s temple precincts.

About the Artist

Clifton Karhu (1927-2007) was an American-born woodblock printmaker who spent most of his life in Kyoto. His bold lines and vivid colours captured the character of Kyoto’s machiya townhouses and quiet backstreets, earning him recognition both in Japan and internationally. His works are held in major museum collections around the world. Karhu’s legacy lives on through his family and The Tolman Collection, his long-time representatives. Today, his son Joel Karhu continues the tradition with a striking printmaking practice of his own. [ ← View All Works by Clifton Karhu]