Ukiyo-e Prints

浮世絵版画

Port Townsend, Washington

PUBLISHERS

H THRU J

To go to our other publishers pages click on the stamps below

A thru G

K thru M

N to Z

*NOTE: The black or white borders around many of the publisher's seals were added

by us to set them off graphically when isolated and do not exist on the prints themselves.

CLICK ON THE IMAGES OF THE PRINTS SHOWN BELOW

TO SEE LARGER EXAMPLES.

PUBLISHER

KANJI

KANA

LOCATION

EXAMPLE

SEAL

Hasegawa Sonokichi

(Seal name - Ōmiya

近江屋 or  おうみや or おおみや

firm name -Hasegawa Enkichi? - see note below)

Marks #101

長谷川

園吉

はせがわ
そのきち

Tokyo

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1889-90.

Marks seal #30-048

Chikanobu, Chikashige,

Ikuhide, Kiyochika,

Kōgyo,

Kokunimasa, Kōtō, Kunichika,

 Kuninao II, Kunisada III,

Kunitoshi, Kyōko, Nobukazu

& Torashige

Marks gives the text within this seal as Nihonbashi-ku Kotenmachō Sanchōme 17-banchi, Hasegawa Sonokichi

As early as 1877 or earlier

to as late as 1904  or later

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1877

to 1905

"Sonokichi is written 其吉 until c. 1883, thereafter written 園吉. Sometimes the publisher name is misread as Hasegawa Enkichi. Identical with Ōmiya Sonokichi 近江其吉." Quoted from: Publishers of Japanese Woodblock Prints: A Compendium by Dr. Andreas Marks, p. 138.

Hayashi-ya Shōgorō

(Seal name - Rinshō 林庄)

Marks #106

林屋

庄五郎

はやしや

しょうごろう

Edo

There is no link to the

 print shown above.

Partial view. In the

box below is a full

example from a

different source.

Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1847-58.

Marks seal #22-049

Gengyo, Hiroshige,

Kuniyoshi, Sadahide,

Toyokuni III,

 Yoshiiku and Yoshitsuya

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1845-63

Hirano-ya Shinzō

(Seal name - Hirashin 平新,

 firm name - Aikindō 愛錦堂)

Marks #114

平野屋新蔵

ひろのや

しんぞう

Edo

There is no link to the

 triptych shown above.

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1861-66.

Marks seal #24-090

Hiroshige II, Hiroshige III,

 Kunichika, Kunihisa,

Kunihisa II, Toyokuni III,

Yoshiiku,

Yoshikazu & Yoshitora

As early as 1861 or earlier to as late as 1881 or later

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as 1861

to ca. 1869

There is a Torii Kiyoshige print in the MFA in Boston. It dates from ca. 1731 and they identify it as being published by Hirano-ya Shinzō.

The Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna gives the earlier date of ca. 1845 for the start of this publisher.

Source and quote from: Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks 1680-1900, by Andreas Marks, p. 308.

Hiro-ya Kosuke

(aka Hiroka-ya Kosuke,  Hiroko & Eisendo)

Marks #117

広岡屋

幸助

ひろおかや
こうすけ

Edo/Tokyo

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1860-68.

Toyokuni III, Yoshiiku & Yoshitoshi

As early as ca. 1859 or earlier to as late as 1874 or later

Andreas Marks gives the

dates ca. 1858 to 1874

Hōeidō

(aka Takeuchi Magohachi)

保永堂

Edo

Eisen, Hiroshige & Kunisada

As early as ca. 1832 or earlier to as late as 1838 or later

Honsei

 Andreas Marks gives this publisher's name as Honya Seishichi and Honsei as the seal name.

(Seal name - Shōhon-ya Seishichi

正本屋清七, family name -

Tamaoki Seishichi)

2 variants shown

Marks #123

本清

ほんせい

Osaka

There is no longer a link

to the print shown above.

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1817-38.

Marks seal #25-527

 Ashihiro, Ashiharu, Ashiyuki,

Fujikuni, Ganjōsai,

Hikokuni, Hironobu,

 Hokkai, Hokuchō, Hokuei, Hokuju,

 Hokushū, Kuniharu, Kunihiro,

 Kunimasu, Kunishige,

Masakuni, Nagahide,

Sadahiro, Sadamasu,

 Sadanobu, Sadayoshi, Shibakuni, Shigeharu, Shunchō,

Shunshi, Shunyo,

Shunzan, Shunzei,Tanko,

 Toyohide, Umekuni, Yoshikuni,

 Yoshiume, Yoshitaki &  Yoshitoyo

As early as 1816 to

as late as 1854 or later

Andreas Marks gives the

dates ca. 1803 to 1896

The Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna gives the earlier date of ca. 1804 for the start of this publisher.

There is no longer a link

to the print shown above.

Hori Takichi

(aka Ōta-ya Takichi)

Marks #423

Edo

There is no longer a link

to the print shown above.

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1848-60s.

Marks seal #01-119

Kuniyoshi, Toyokuni III

& Yoshiiku

As early as 1848 or earlier to as late as 1864 or later

Andreas Marks identifies this publisher under the heading of Ōta-ya Takichi and we agree. A fuller entry on this publisher can be found on our N thru Z publisher page.

Iba-ya

Kyūbei

(aka Kinseidō)

伊場屋

久兵衛

いばや

きゆうべえ

Edo

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1804-40s.

Kuniyoshi, Toyokuni III

& Yoshitomi

The print shown to the right  is not one we have offered. However, it has a publisher's seal which we want to display for your information. The image  has been sent to us from a private collection. We are grateful for this contribution to our site.

The Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna gives the dates of ca. 1804-1868 for this publisher.

Iba-ya

Senzaburō

(seal name - Ibasen,

firm name - Dansendō)

2 variants shown

伊場屋仙三郎

いばや

せんざぶろう

Edo

There is no longer a link

to the print shown above.

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1840s-52.

Hiroshige, Hiroshige II,

Kunisada II, Kuniyoshi,

Sadahide,

Toyokuni I,

Toyokuni III, Yoshifuji

& Yoshiiku

As early as ca. 1827 or earlier to as late as 1859 or later

Andreas Marks gives the

dates ca. 1815 to 1869

The Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna gives the earliest date of ca. 1818 for this publisher

"Ibaya Senzaburō specialized in fan prints showing a broad range of subjects." Quoted from: Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks 1680-1900 by Andreas Marks, p. 266.

To the right is an alternative

seal for Iba-ya Senzaburō.

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1845-54.

Idzutsu-ya Denbee

井筒屋伝兵衞

いづつや

でんべえ

Osaka

There is no link to the

Hokushū print shown above.

Ashiyuki, Chikakuni, Hokuei, Hokuho, Hokumei,  Hokushū, Kiyokuni, Kunihiro.  Sadakazu, Shuncho, Shunju,  Toshikuni, Umeharu,  Umekuni,  Yoshikuni & Yoshiyuki

As early as 1820 or earlier to as late as 1834 or later

Imari-ya Ushizō

今利屋

丑蔵

いまりや

うしぞう

Edo

Andreas Marks gives no specific dates for this seal.

As Kunisada & Toyokuni III,

Kuniyasu,

Toyokuni I & Toyokuni II

As early as 1818 or earlier to as late as ca. 1847-50 or later

Ise-Mago

(aka Iseson)

伊勢

孫

いせ

まご

Edo

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1794-98 and again between 1804-12.

Kunimasa, Kunisada,

 Toyokuni I & Utamaro

The print shown to the right  is not one we have offered. However, it has a publisher's seal which we want to display for your information. The image  has been sent to us from ED. We are grateful for this contribution to our site.

Possibly as early as ca. 1796

to as late as ca. 1813-15

Ise-ya Ichibei

伊勢屋市兵衛

いせや

いちべ え

Edo

Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi &

 Toyokuni III

The print shown to the right  is not one we have offered. However, it has a publisher's seal which we want to display for your information.

As early as 1843 or earlier to as late as 1852 or later

Ise-ya Kanekichi

(Seal name - Isekane)

2 variants shown

(cf. Kichi listed below)

伊勢屋

兼吉 

いせや
かねきち

Edo

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1850s-71.

Gengyo, Hiroshige,

Hiroshige II,

Hiroshige III,

Kunichika, Kunihisa II,

Kunisada II,

Kuniteru, Kuniteru II,

Kuniyoshi, 

Kyōsai, Sadahide,

Shigeharu, Toyokuni III,

Yoshikazu, Yoshitora,

Yoshitsuya & Yoshitoshi

As early as 1847 or earlier

to as late as 1872 or later

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as the late 1840s

to ca. 1875

The Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna gives the earliest date of ca. 1845 for this publisher

Osaka

There is no longer a link to this print.

Ise-ya Kanekichisaburō

伊勢屋

兼吉三郎

Tokyo

The print shown to the right  is not one we have offered. However, it has a publisher's seal which we want to display for your information. The image  has been sent to us from the Eikei (英渓) Collection. We are grateful for this contribution to our site.

Yoshitoshi

We know they were publishing in 1865, but beyond that we know nothing else so far.

Ise-ya Rihei

(seal name - Kinjudō,

family name - Yamamoto Rihei)

3 variants shown

伊勢屋

利兵衛

いせや

りへえ

Tokyo

Chikanobu, Eisen, Eizan, Hiroshige, Hokusai, Kunichika,

Kunisada, Kuniyasu,

Kuniyoshi, Sadakage,

Shuntei, Toyokuni I,

Toyokuni II, Utamaro,

Yoshiiku, Yoshimori,

Yoshitora & Yoshitoshi

As early as ca. 1795-6

or earlier to as late as 1874 or later

Andreas Marks gives the

dates 1790s to ca. 1879

The Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna gives the earliest date of ca. 1789 for this publisher

Edo

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1810s-67.

Edo

Ise-ya Sanjirō

(Seal name - Isesan 伊勢三,

firm name - Eijudō 栄樹堂)

伊勢屋

三次郎

いせや

さんじろう

Edo

The print shown to the right  is not one we have offered. However, it has a publisher's seal which we want to display for your information. The image  has been sent to us from the Eikei (英渓) Collection. We are grateful for this contribution to our site.

Hokusai, Kunisada,

 Kuniyoshi & Sadatora

Active as early as ca. 1825 or earlier to as late as 1836 or later

Andreas Marks gives

the dates of ca. 1823

to 4th Month, 1852

Ise-ya

Tōkichi

(Seal names - Isetō 伊勢藤 &

Daikyōdō 大喬堂)

Marks #158

伊勢屋

藤吉

いせや

とうきち

Edo

The print shown to the right  is not one we have offered. However, it has a publisher's seal which we want to display for your information. The image  has been sent to us by M.B. We are grateful for this contribution to our site.

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used in 1863.

Ikumaru, Kunichika,

Kunitaka, Kuniteru II, 

Kunitomi, Kunitsuru,

Sadahide & Toyokuni III,

Yoshifuji,

Yoshiharu, Yoshiiku

 & Yoshikata

As early as 1840 or earlier

to as late as 1865 or later

Andreas Marks gives

the dates of 9th Month, 1862

to ca. 1868

Ise Yoshi

Marks #U095

伊勢芳

いせ.よし

Edo

There is no longer a link to this print.

Kuniyoshi, Toyokuni III

& Yositora

As early as 1855 or earlier to as late as 1859 or later

Andreas Marks gives

the dates of ca. 1855-60

The Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna gives the dates of ca. 1845-1868 for this publisher

 Ito-ya Shōbei

(Firm name - Itoshō 糸庄)

Marks #167

糸屋

庄兵衛

いとや

しょうべい

Edo

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1860-63.

Hiroshige II, Kunitsuna,

Sadahide, Yoshimune

&Toyokuni III

Ca. 6th Month,1847 to 1865

Itō-ya Yohei

(Firm name - Eiseidō 英盛堂)

Marks #168

伊藤屋

与兵衛

いとうや
ょへえ

Edo

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1800s-30s.

Eisen, Kunikane,

Kunisada, Shuntei

Toyokuni I & Yoshitora

Ca. 1804-30

Andreas Marks gives

the dates of ca. 1806-30s

Iwato-ya Kisaburō

(seal name - Iwa:

firm name - Eirindō)

岩戸屋

喜三郎 

いわとや

きさぶろう

Edo

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1760s-1820s.

Chōki, Eiri,

Eisen, Eishi,

Eishō, Eizan,

Enshi, Hiroshige,Hokusai,

Kiyomitsu, Kuniharu,

Kunisada, Kuniyasu,

Shigemasa, Shunchō,

Shun'ei, Shunkō II,

Shunsen, Shuntei,

Toyoharu, Toyomaru,

 Toyokuni I, Toyokuni II,

Tsukimaro, Utamaro

& Utamaro II

The print shown to the right  is not one we have offered. However, it has a publisher's seal which we want to display for your information. The image  has been sent to us from ED. We are grateful for this contribution to our site.

As early as 1767

to as late as 1844?

Andreas Marks says

that this publisher was

active from the 1760s to 1832.

The Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna gives the dates of ca. 1744-1844 for this publisher

According to Andreas Marks in his Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks 1680-1900 (p. 202) this publisher joined the Picture Book and Print Publishers Guild in 1807 and the Book Publishers Guild in 1812. "From 1811 until 1815 he was active as a censor of prints."Marks adds important information about Iwato-ya role in the early development of Hiroshige: "In the late 1810s, when the young and unknown Hiroshige started to design woodblock prints, he found in Iwatoya Kisaburō an established publisher who supported him and took on the risk to issue his designs. Hiroshige, being Toyhiro's student, might have been introduced to Iwatoya from his teacher who had illustrated for him at least four books during the 1800s. Until c. 1822, Hiroshige designed series of beautiful women for Iwatoya and, from time to time, was also commissioned to illustrate books. None of these works reached great fame but they prove that Hiroshige tried for over ten years to find his own subject matter and it is to Iwatoya's credit to have employed Hiroshige despite the fact that his works did not receive that much attention." Marks is also definitive about the end date for this publisher: "The last known publication is an actor print from early 1832. It is a memorial print by Utagawa Kuniharu (1807-1839) of the actors Segawa Kikunojō V and Bandō Mitsugorō III (1775-1832) who both passed away in early 1832."

Izumi-ya Ichibei
(seal name - Sen'ichi

 firm name - Kansendō)

3 variants shown

和泉屋

市兵衛 

いずみや

いちべ え
 

Edo

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used in 1853.

Eiri, Eisen, Eishi, Eishō,

Eizan, Hiroshige,

Hiroshige II, Hiroshige III,

Kiyonaga, Kuninaga,

Kunimitsu I,

as Kunisada & Toyokuni III,

Kunisada II, Kunisato, 

Kuniteru, Kuniteru II,

Kunitomi,

Kuniyoshi, Kyōsai,

Masayoshi,

Sadahide, Shunchō,

Shunkō II, Shunsen,

Shuntei, Toyoharu,

Toyohiro, Toyokiyo, Toyokuni I, Toyokuni II, 

Utamaro, Utamaro II, Yoshifuji,

Yoshifusa,

Yoshikazu, Yoshitora

& Yoshitori-jo

As early as ca. 1777

to as late as 1862

Peter Kornicki in his The Book in Japan: A Cultural History from the Beginnings to the Nineteenth Century (p. 172) says that this publisher "...was active over several generations from the end of the seventeenth century to the late nineteenth century..."

Andrea Marks gives us a more accurate dating for the lifespan of this firm: Ca. 1686 to 1886

The Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna gives the end date of 1880 for this publisher.

Andrea Marks says: "With several hundred prints Izumiya Ichibei is among the most successful and productive publishers in the history of Japanese woodblock prints. As early as 1686, Izumiya was active as a publisher but his first prints date from around 1776, ninety years later." Marks gives of some of the dates of the various holders of the house name: Ichibei I died in 1730; Ichibei II in 1753; #3 in 1781; #4 in 1823 and #5 in 1826.

"In the book 'Gathering of Views of Famous Sights along the Tōkaidō' (Tōkaidō meisho zue) from 1797

is an illustration of Izumiya's shop, located directly next to fellow publisher Masuya."

"In 1790, Izumiya was a founding member of the Picture Book and Print Publishers Guild (Jihon toiya) and was still listed as a member in 1807 and in 1851 as a member of the Old Faction (Motogumi) of the guild. In the ninth month of 1820 he is also a founding member of the Book Publishers Guild (Shomotsu toiya) and in 1851 a member of the Nakadōri Faction (Nakadōrigumi) of this guild." In 1812 and 1813 he functioned as a censor. Dr. Marks ends his text entry on this publisher with this: "Following the new rules, Izumiya Ichibei signed as Yamanaka Ichibei since 1876. The last known publications date to 1886, indicating that the publishing firm ceased to exist after being in business for 200 years." Source and quotes from Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks 1680-1900 (p. 208).

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used in the 1830s.

Marks seal #25-363

Izu-San

いず

さん

Edo

Kuniyoshi

Active as early as 1851 to

as late as 1853 or later

 Robinson spells this as Idzu-San

Izutsu-ya

Sanemon

(The Boston Museum of Fine Arts identifies this publisher as

only Izutsu-ya while Izutsuya San'emon was a publishing house active in the 1740s and was working with Masanobu and Shigenaga.)

井筒屋

三右衛門

いづつや

さんえもん

There is no longer a link to this print.

 Kunichika, Kunihisa II,

Toyokuni III

& Yoshifuji

Active as early as 1851-53 or earlier to as late as 1864 or later

The Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna gives the dates of ca. 1845-1870 for this publisher which they refer to as only Izutsuya although the seal is the same

The carver Hori Chō worked on blocks forToyokuni III for this publisher in 1863.

Izutsu-ya

Shōkichi

(aka Enomoto-ya Kichibei & Yamashiro-ya Tōkei)

井筒屋

庄吉

いづつや

しょうきち

Edo

The print shown to the right  is not one we have offered. However, it has a publisher's seal which we want to display for your information. An anonymous correspondent has been kind enough to let us display it

Eisho, Kunisada, Kuniyasu,

Kuniyoshi, Sadahide, Shuntei,

Toyokuni I & Yoshitora

Active as early as 1796 or earlier to as late as 1861 or later

The Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna gives the dates of ca. 1772-1844 for this publisher

To the right is an alternative

seal for Izutsu-ya
Shōkichi.

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between the 3rd Month, 1852 to 1855.

Jōshū-ya Jūzō

上州屋

重蔵

じょうしゅうや

じゅうぞう

Edo

The print shown to the right  is not one we have offered. It has been contributed to this site by K. S. of Germany. For this we are grateful.

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1812-60s.

Hiroshige II, Hōshō,

Kiyomitsu II,

as both Kunisada & Toyokuni III,

Kunisada II, Kunisada III,

Kuniteru,

Kuniyasu, Kuniyoshi

Kyōsai,

Sadafusa, Shuntei,

Toyokuni I, Yoshiiku,

Yoshimune,

 Yoshitomi & Yoshitsuya

As early as ca. 1827

to as late as ca. 1865

Andrea Marks gives two

different dates for the start

of this publishing firm - ca. 1812

and ca. 1823, but we believe

this is probably due to an

 editing error. The end date is

1876.

"There has been some confusion with the publisher's first name being Jūzō or Jūbei, as the seals that Jōshūya mostly used do not tell that information. One source tells us that Jūzō inherited the business in the second month of 1862 from his father Jūbei  [兵衛] and Jūzō's son was Jūshichi. Another source says that in the ninth month of 1863 the son Chiyomatsu inherited the business and took the name Jūzō. However, an inheritance in 1862/63 by Jūzō is contradicted by the name Jūzō appearing on some prints from the 1830s and 1840s as well as being listed in the Guild members from 1851. In fact, it was Jūbei who inherited the business from Jūzō as a game board by Hiroshige II exists... with his name on it. Unfortunately a date for this game board could not be verified." Source and quotes from Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks 1680-1900 by Andreas Marks, p. 256.

This seal was used on

a Toyokuni III print

in 1843-5

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1844-45.

Jōshū-ya Kinzō

(aka Shofukudō)

上州屋

金蔵

じょうしゅうや

きんぞう

Eisen, Hiroshige,

as both Kunisada & Toyokuni III,

Kuniteru, Kuniyoshi, Kyōsai,

Toyokuni II, Yoshifuji

Yoshiiku, Yoshikazu, Yoshitora

& Yoshitori-jo

The Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna gives the earliest date of ca. 1818 for this publisher

To the right is an alternative

seal for Jōshū-ya Kinzō.

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1860-64.

Andreas Marks notes that this particular seal was used between 1841-64.

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