Yusui Toku “Unai” Series – ‘Gaku’ 楽 (Joy) – 1978 Showa Era Limited Edition (1 of 50) | Kaga Yuzen Style Washi Print

About the Artwork
This charming composition by Yusui Toku, titled 「楽」(Gaku / Joy), portrays a group of children dancing and playing instruments in celebration. It is part of the “Unai” (うない) portfolio — a series of fifty limited-edition art prints published in 1978 (Shōwa 53) that celebrate the beauty of traditional Japanese seasons, poetry, and textile art.

The delicate layering of translucent tones and the elegant use of negative space echo the refined craft of Kaga Yuzen dyeing, a decorative art from Kanazawa known for intricate kimono patterns. The figures’ garments appear woven with subtle printed motifs, merging fine art, textile tradition, and poetic symbolism.

Poem on the Reverse
On the verso, a reflective poem accompanies the image, written in classic vertical Japanese script — an homage to waka-style seasonal verse, celebrating the spirit of music and life’s fleeting moments.

Cultural & Artistic Significance

• Artist: Yusui Toku (湯水得)

• Title: 楽 (Gaku / Joy)

• Series: Unai (うない) Collection

• Year: 1978, Shōwa Era

• Medium: Woodblock / Mixed technique print on handmade washi

• Style: Kaga Yuzen–inspired modern reinterpretation

• Edition: Limited (1 of 50)

• Publisher: Fuji Art Publishing, Japan

Each piece in the “Unai” series marries classical Japanese aesthetics with a modern sense of serenity and rhythm, offering a contemplative, elegant presence in any space.

Why Collectors Love It

• Rare Showa-era limited edition

• Combines textile-inspired patterning with poetic storytelling

• Ideal for collectors of modern Japanese woodblock prints and Kaga Yuzen art

• Represents a fusion of craftsmanship and philosophy, typical of 20th-century Japanese revival art