Katsuyuki Nishijima - 甘樫の丘 (Amakashi Hill, Nara)

A fabulous print by Katsuyuki Nishijima: 甘樫の丘 (Amakashi Hill, Nara). Seen from 甘樫丘 (Amakashi-no-Oka), this woodblock looks down across the clustered rooftops of old Asuka, where kawara-tiled roofs, white plaster walls, and thatched buildings gather tightly around a narrow lane. Nishijima makes the most of the elevated viewpoint, drawing attention to the dense roofscape and the preserved architectural character of this historic part of Nara. 🏘️

• Year & Edition: 2024. Edition of 500. Signed & titled in pencil.
• Medium: Woodblock.
• Dimensions: Sheet W: 43.50 cm × H: 31.50 cm. Image W: 37.75 cm × H: 25.75 cm.
• Condition: Studio-fresh.
• Notes: 甘樫丘 (Amakashi-no-Oka) is a historic hill in Asuka, Nara Prefecture, long known for its views across one of Japan’s oldest cultural landscapes. The area is closely associated with the Asuka period, and Nishijima’s focus here on traditional roofs, earthen walls, and old buildings reflects the enduring historic townscape below.

About the Artist

Katsuyuki Nishijima (b. 1945, Yamaguchi) has spent over fifty years capturing a distilled vision of traditional Japan through woodblock printmaking. Drawing on ukiyo-e, shin-hanga, and sōsaku hanga, his prints depict peaceful street scenes, machiya, and Kyoto townscapes that quietly evoke the spirit of historical Japan. A former apprentice at Kyoto’s Mikumo publishing house, Nishijima brings a deep attentiveness to the cultural memory embedded in architecture and landscape. [ ← View All Works by Katsuyuki Nishijima]