Katsuyuki Nishijima - 西陣の屋並 (Nishijin Townhouses)

A fabulous print by Katsuyuki Nishijima: 西陣の屋並 (Nishijin Townhouses). This woodblock looks across the layered kawara rooftops of 西陣 (Nishijin), where traditional 京都町家 (Kyoto machiya) crowd closely together around a quiet inner lane. The view is dominated by rooflines and eaves, with a pair of wagasa parasols and a wooden shopfront drawing the eye towards the centre of the composition. It is a strong example of Nishijima’s interest in the roofscape of old Kyoto and the everyday character of its historic neighbourhoods. 🏘️

• Year & Edition: 1991. 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: 西陣 (Nishijin), in north-west Kyoto, is best known as the city’s historic weaving district, long associated with 西陣織 (Nishijin-ori) textiles. Alongside its textile heritage, the area is also known for its dense streets of machiya townhouses, workshops, tiled roofs, and traditional shopfronts, all of which are reflected in Nishijima’s closely observed townscape.

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]