Karazuri

空摺

Blind printing or embossing, where the dampened paper is pressed into carved blocks without ink to create raised or impressed textures. This technique beautifully rendered textures like snow, white fabric, feathers, and waves, visible only when the print is viewed at an angle.

Related Terms

Kabuki

歌舞伎

The popular theater form featuring elaborate costumes, dramatic makeup (kumadori), and stylized acting. Kabuki actors were celebrities of the Edo period, and prints of their performances (yakusha-e) were bestsellers, functioning as the equivalent of modern celebrity posters.

Kakemono-e

掛物絵

Large-format prints designed to hang as scroll-like decorations, measuring approximately 76 × 23 cm. These prestigious prints often featured standing beauties or actors in full costume.

Kento

見当

The registration system using an L-shaped mark and a straight line cut into the corner of woodblocks, ensuring precise alignment of multiple color impressions. Accurate kento was essential for the sharp registration that distinguished fine prints.

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