Yusui Toku “Unai” Series – ‘Asuka’ あすか (Children of Asuka) – 1978 Shōwa Era Limited Edition | Kaga Yuzen Style Washi Print

About the Artwork
This elegant piece titled 「あすか」(Asuka) is part of Yusui Toku’s “Unai” (うない) collection — a poetic portfolio of 50 limited-edition prints produced in 1978 during the Shōwa period. Each work celebrates Japanese life, spirituality, and seasonal symbolism through the delicate artistry of Kaga Yuzen–inspired design and the soft luminosity of handmade washi paper.

In Asuka, two children dance joyfully, dressed in richly patterned kimonos reminiscent of ancient court garments. Their gestures are playful yet dignified, evoking the grace of early Japanese performing arts. The golden background symbolizes Asuka’s historical golden age, when Buddhism, poetry, and refined aesthetics first flourished in Japan.

Poetic Inscription (Verso)

あすか (Asuka)
瓜食めば 子ども思ほゆ / 栗食めば まして偲はゆ
(As I eat melons, I think of my children;
as I eat chestnuts, I think of them even more.)
— Ancient waka poem from the Manyōshū (万葉集)

This gentle verse expresses parental affection and longing, tying the imagery of innocent children to Japan’s oldest poetic tradition.

Artwork Details

• Artist: Yusui Toku (湯水得)

• Title: あすか (Asuka)

• Series: Unai (うない)

• Year: 1978 (Shōwa 53)

• Medium: Woodblock / mixed media print on handmade washi

• Style: Kaga Yuzen–inspired patterning

• Edition: Limited to 50 prints

• Publisher: Fuji Art Publishing (Japan)

Collector Highlights

• Part of the Unai master series (全50図), bridging poetry, textile, and philosophy

• Inspired by the Asuka era’s refined simplicity

• Printed on thick handmade washi with gold undertones

• A serene and poetic representation of Japanese childhood and memory

• Ideal for collectors of Shōwa-era art, Manyōshū-inspired prints, and modern ukiyo-e reinterpretations