A stunning display of Japanese art and culture will take centre stage at York Art Gallery in a major new exhibition for 2026.
The new exhibition will feature over 100 striking and iconic works from renowned artists, including Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Hiroshige and Kitagawa Utamaro,
Visitors will get the chance to see Hokusai’s ‘The Great Wave off Kanagawa’ – on loan to the gallery from Maidstone Museum – one of the most recognisable and celebrated artworks in the world.
Making Waves: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Print will open on Friday 27 February 2026.
(L) Chobunsai Eishi, Kasen of the Ogiya, from Six Select Beauties of the Gay Quarters, from a series of the twelve months, 1790s. Image Courtesy of York Museums Trust.
(R) Utagawa Hiroshige, Kozuke Province: Mount Haruna under Snow, from the series, ‘Famous Places in the Sixty-odd Provinces’ 1853. Image Courtesy of York Museums Trust.
Selections from York Art Gallery’s own extensive collection of Japanese prints, some of which have never been exhibited before, will be displayed throughout the exhibition.
These will accompany a range of loans from regional and national institutions, such as early printed books from the British Library, kimonos from Durham Oriental Museum, and a selection of prints from Maidstone Museum and the British Museum.
The exhibition features works dating from the 17th to 21st centuries, with a special focus on the heyday of Japanese woodblock printing in the 18th and 19th centuries.
It will explore the origins and techniques of early printmaking, the ‘floating world’ of urban entertainments, the beauty of the Japanese landscape, legendary heroes and seasonal celebrations, and how print artists responded to major changes in Japanese society – from Japan’s development into a modern industrial nation in the late 19th century through to the present day.
Eleanor Jackson, curator of fine art at York Art Gallery, said, “Making Waves will showcase an outstanding selection of Japanese woodblock prints spanning centuries of creativity and artistry, alongside other spectacular items.
“The support of national and regional museums as well as contemporary artists has been instrumental in allowing us to tell the story of this gorgeous art form. We are grateful to them for lending their precious works to York Art Gallery for this exhibition.”
It will also extend into the York Museum Gardens, where an exciting new Japanese-style garden will be installed for the spring and summer months. A Japanese dry garden, or ‘karesansui’, will be created in the space behind the Art Gallery, taking inspiration from traditional Japanese gardens.
Steve Williams, garden manager at York Museums Trust commented, “Whilst the majority of the materials used will be hard landscaping, plants will create softer highlights in considered locations.
“Four blossom trees will feature in the garden in spring next year – three cherry trees and an apricot tree. Blossom trees hold a cultural significance in Japan, symbolising beauty, impermanence and renewal which reflect the transient nature of life.
“All the materials included in the Japanese-style garden have been sourced with the intention of longer-term use, and they will be repurposed elsewhere in Museum Gardens following the exhibition.”
Making Waves: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Print, will run from 27 February 2026 to 30 August 2026 and will be included in general admission to York Art Gallery.
To find out more, visit the York Art Gallery website.