The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints

What The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints does

The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints (株式会社アダチ版画研究所) is a Japanese woodblock printing publisher and workshop (版元) headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo, with a physical showroom in the nearby Mejiro district. It is the only publisher that retains in-house artisans (horishi carvers and surishi printers) who have mastered Edo-period ukiyo-e techniques, producing approximately 1,200 reproduced catalog works by masters such as Hokusai, Hiroshige, Utamaro, and Sharaku using mountain cherry woodblocks, handmade Echizen washi paper, and water-based pigments. Through the Contemporary Ukiyo-e International Creation Project, the institute has collaborated with 30+ internationally recognized artists — including Yayoi Kusama, Antony Gormley, Kiki Smith, Lee Ufan, and James Jean — to produce original contemporary woodblock prints.

The institute operates two main product lines: reproduced classical ukiyo-e (priced ¥18,000–¥250,000 depending on edition and framing) and contemporary collaborative works sold via lottery. A supporting membership program (¥20,000 individual / ¥100,000 corporate annually) and image-licensing fees for media and museums provide recurring revenue. The affiliated Adachi Foundation for the Preservation of Woodcut Printing — a public interest incorporated foundation established in 1994 with Ministry of Education approval and under the jurisdiction of the Agency for Cultural Affairs — operates the training program, permanent showroom, and the annual Adachi Contemporary Ukiyo-e Award. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through store.adachi-hanga.com and the Mejiro showroom, with international shipping to Asia, North America, Europe, Oceania, South America, and Africa via FEDEX and EMS. The active artisan workforce is approximately 7 craftspeople, a figure the source explicitly identifies as a critical succession risk.

Name

The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints

Legal name

株式会社アダチ版画研究所

Website

https://adachi-hanga.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints is a Tokyo-based woodblock printing publisher and workshop that reproduces approximately 1,200 Edo-period ukiyo-e masterpieces and produces contemporary works with international artists, serving art collectors, museums, corporate gift buyers, and global customers through direct-to-consumer channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Traditional Fine Art Prints (Ukiyo-e)

NAICS

Commercial Screen Printing (323113), Stationery Product Manufacturing (32223)

SIC

Book Printing (2732), Pens, Pencils & Other Artists' Materials (3950)

akta.pro primary industry

Stationery & Office Paper Products (notebooks, pads, forms) (IMAMAHAG)

Keywords

• Ukiyo-e woodblock prints
• Traditional Japanese art
• Fine art reproductions
• Contemporary woodblock art
• Japanese craft publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo (Shinjuku)

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Woodblock Print Sales: Sale of reproduced ukiyo-e prints (approximately 1,200 works) and contemporary woodblock prints through online store and showroom. Products range from prints alone to framed/mounted versions with varying price points.
2. Supporting Membership: Individual members pay 20,000 yen annually, corporate members pay 100,000 yen annually. Members receive woodblock prints and access to exhibitions and events.
3. Image and Materials Licensing: Loan of image data and production tools to media, publishers, and museums for magazines, TV, and merchandise. Revenue generated from lending fees for reproductions.
4. Framing and Mounting Services: Additional revenue from offering various framing options (standard frames, special order frames) and mounting services (scroll mounting with paulownia boxes) for prints.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints is a traditional Japanese woodblock printing publisher and workshop that hand-produces limited-edition reproductions of Edo-period ukiyo-e masterpieces (approximately 1,200 works) and creates original contemporary woodblock prints in collaboration with international artists. All prints are handcrafted by in-house master carvers (horishi) and printers (surishi) using the same Edo-period materials and techniques — mountain cherry woodblocks, handmade Echizen washi paper, and water-based pigments — and are sold via the company's own online store and Tokyo showroom, with international shipping worldwide.

Product overview

The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints operates as a traditional woodblock printing workshop and publisher (版元) preserving Edo-period ukiyo-e techniques. The core product offerings consist of two main categories: (1) 復刻版浮世絵 (Ukiyo-e Reproductions) - approximately 1,200 high-quality replica woodblock prints of famous Edo-period masterpieces by artists such as Hokusai, Hiroshige, Utamaro, and Sharaku, produced using traditional materials and techniques; and (2) 現代の浮世絵 (Contemporary Ukiyo-e) - original woodblock prints created through international artist collaborations under the Contemporary Ukiyo-e International Creation Project, featuring works by world-renowned artists like Yayoi Kusama, Antony Gormley, and Kiki Smith. Supporting offerings include custom framing services and the 浮世絵贔屓 (Ukiyo-e Biiki) merchandise sub-brand featuring ukiyo-e-inspired accessories. The affiliated Adachi Traditional Woodcut Printing Technology Preservation Foundation oversees training programs, exhibitions, and the Adachi Contemporary Ukiyo-e Award competition. Products are sold through the online store (store.adachi-hanga.com) and the Mejiro showroom in Tokyo.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ukiyo-e Reproductions (復刻版浮世絵) High-quality replica woodblock prints of ukiyo-e masterpieces from the Edo period (1603–1868), produced using the same traditional techniques and materials as the originals. Approximately 1,200 different works are available by artists such as Hokusai, Hiroshige, Utamaro, and Sharaku. Available as print-only, framed, or scroll-mounted.
• Contemporary Ukiyo-e (現代の浮世絵) Original contemporary woodblock prints created through collaborations between Adachi's traditional artisans and modern international artists. Part of the Contemporary Ukiyo-e International Creation Project, this line brings traditional woodblock techniques to new artistic visions.
• Limited Edition Original Woodblock Prints by International Artists High-value limited edition original woodblock prints created in collaboration with internationally acclaimed contemporary artists. Sold through lottery sales. Includes works by Antony Gormley ("RAPT") and Kiki Smith ("Paper Wasps Nest").
• Supporting Membership Program Annual membership program supporting the Adachi Foundation's preservation activities. Individual members pay ¥20,000/year (1 print per unit); corporate members pay ¥100,000/year (5 prints per unit). Members receive prints and access to exhibitions and events.
• Image and Materials Licensing Loan of image data and production tools to media, publishers, and museums for use in magazines, TV, and merchandise. Revenue generated from lending fees for reproductions.
• Framing and Mounting Services Custom framing options (standard frames, special-order frames) and scroll mounting with paulownia boxes for purchased prints.
• Adachi Contemporary Ukiyo-e Award (アダチUKIYOE大賞) Annual competition inviting artists worldwide to submit drawings for woodblock printing. Grand Prix winners receive ¥300,000 plus production of their work as an Adachi woodblock print.
• Woodblock Printing Workshops and Demonstrations Educational workshops and public demonstrations teaching traditional woodblock printing techniques. Annual workshop priced at ¥7,000 for 2 sessions; supporting members pay ¥4,000. Regular demonstrations are free with reservation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 1,200 ukiyo-e reproductions produced over the institute's history
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• Antony GormleyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2026British sculptor Antony Gormley collaborated with Adachi's master carvers and printers to create his first woodblock print 'RAPT'. This project represented a new exploration of woodblock expression under the Contemporary Ukiyo-e International Creation Project, combining traditional techniques with contemporary artistic vision.
• Kiki SmithflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2026American artist Kiki Smith created her first woodblock print 'Paper Wasps Nest' through collaboration with Adachi's artisans. The project explored reproducing CMYK 4-color process using traditional woodblock technique, representing innovative applications of traditional methods.
• Kadokawa CinemasminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2025The documentary film 'Baren tokogatana: Jidai wo tsunagu Ukiyo-e Monogatari' (Bareen to Kogatana: Woodblock Print Story Connecting Ages) premiered at Kadokawa Cinema Yurakucho on October 10, 2025, documenting the collaboration between traditional craftsmen and contemporary artists including Yayoi Kusama, Rottaku Ayako, Antony Gormley, Nick Walker, and Lee Ufan.
• NHKminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 May 2025NHK BS broadcast 'Ukiyo-e Revolution! Searching for the Sharaku of Reiwa' (浮世絵れぼりゅーしょん! 令和の写楽を探せ) featuring the project, which was later re-edited into the documentary film 'Baren to Kogatana'. The program introduced the collaboration between traditional woodblock craftsmen and contemporary artists.
• Nario Naria (General Producer)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Nario Naria served as the General Producer for the Contemporary Ukiyo-e International Creation Project. He has been instrumental in bringing together international artists with traditional woodblock craftsmen to create contemporary ukiyo-e works.
• Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology / Agency for Cultural AffairscoreOthers · 1 January 2020The foundation was established with approval from the Ministry of Education (at the time, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) and operates under the jurisdiction of the Cultural Properties Protection Department of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, receiving official recognition as a cultural preservation organization.
• The Adachi Foundation for the Preservation of Woodcut PrintingcoreOthers · 1 April 2018The Adachi Foundation for the Preservation of Woodcut Printing (Koaisha Adachi Dento Mokuhan Gijutsu Hozon Zaidan) was established in 1994 as the parent organization to preserve and promote traditional woodblock printing techniques. It operates the Advanced Skills Training Program for cultivating carvers and printers, supervises woodblock print production, and organizes exhibitions and educational activities. The Adachi Institute serves as the production entity while the Foundation handles preservation, training, and cultural promotion.
• Meiji UniversityminorOthers · 1 April 2018Professor Yuji Yamashita of Meiji University serves on the Board of Directors of the Adachi Foundation for the Preservation of Woodcut Printing, providing academic oversight and research support for the foundation's activities.
• Tokyo National MuseumflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2015The 'Ukiyo-e Gendai' exhibition held at the Tokyo National Museum's Hyokeikan showcased the results of the Contemporary Ukiyo-e International Creation Project. This collaboration featured works by internationally renowned artists created using traditional woodblock techniques, demonstrating the continued relevance of ukiyo-e in contemporary art.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights11 records

Direct peers

• Pace Prints: A New York-based fine art print publisher producing limited-edition prints and editions with leading contemporary artists. Comparable business model of artist-collaborated limited editions and serving high-end collectors and museums.
• Crown Point Press: A San Francisco-based fine art print publisher that produces limited-edition prints in collaboration with contemporary artists using traditional intaglio and relief techniques. Comparable in producing limited-edition hand-printed editions with international contemporary artists as collaborators.
• Benrido: A long-established Kyoto-based publisher specializing in traditional Japanese woodblock print reproductions using hand-carved cherry woodblocks and washi paper. Direct competitor to Adachi in the high-end ukiyo-e reproduction market, serving museums, collectors, and contemporary artists through similar craft techniques.
• Mokuhankan: A woodblock print workshop and publisher in Asakusa, Tokyo that produces both traditional ukiyo-e reproductions and contemporary collaborative prints. Closely comparable in craft techniques, mixed traditional/contemporary product mix, and Tokyo-based operations.
• Unsodo: A Kyoto-based woodblock print publisher with a long history of producing ukiyo-e reproductions. Competes directly with Adachi in the Japanese print reproduction market, particularly in the Kyoto/Osaka region and through international distribution.

Regional players

• Studio Ghibli: A Japanese animation studio with a globally recognized IP catalog and a substantial merchandise and limited-edition collectibles business. Comparable as a Japanese cultural content business monetizing authentic heritage IP through collectible physical products, though in animation rather than traditional craft.

Broad incumbents

• Christie's: A global auction house that regularly sells ukiyo-e and contemporary prints, including works featuring Japanese artists. Competes for high-end print collector spending and sets secondary-market price benchmarks relevant to Adachi's premium editions.
• Rizzoli International Publications: A major international art and illustrated book publisher with strong presence in art, design, and Japanese culture titles. Competes with Adachi for art-collector attention and gifting budgets at premium price points.
• Taschen: A global art book publisher with a broad portfolio spanning fine art, design, and culture. Competes for discretionary spending by art collectors and competes with print publishers in the broader cultural-art merchandise category.

Others

• The British Museum Shop: Operates a major retail channel selling licensed reproductions of artworks from its collection, including ukiyo-e prints. Comparable as a complementary distribution channel for fine art print reproductions targeting international collectors and cultural tourists.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ukiyoe_adachi
• Facebookfacebook.com/adachi.hanga

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints