Yusui Toku “Unai” Series – ‘Kaze’ 風 (The Wind) – 1978 Shōwa Era Limited Edition | Kaga Yuzen Style Washi Print

About the Artwork
This poetic print, titled 「風」(Kaze / The Wind), is part of Yusui Toku’s “Unai” (うない) series — a celebrated Shōwa-era collection of 50 limited-edition prints produced in 1978, each exploring the intersection of Japanese poetry, childhood, and spirituality.

In Kaze, a young boy dances lightly with the breeze, his robes swirling with a rhythm that mirrors the unseen motion of air. The composition’s restraint and purity — vast negative space, subtle color, and quiet expression — make it one of the most meditative and emotionally open works in the Unai series.

Poetic Inscription (Verso)

風 (Kaze)
君 秘する勿れ
風は耳よりも敏く
己に他の耳に伝ふ
— (Roughly translated)
“Do not hide your secret —
the wind hears before the ear,
and carries it to another.”

The verse reflects the Japanese concept of nature as a sentient witness, blurring the line between the inner world and the elements — a theme deeply rooted in Shinto and Manyōshū poetic traditions.

Artistic Features

• The boy’s patterned kimono features a repeating motif of cranes and circular forms, symbols of good fortune and continuity.

• The pale gradient background suggests both sky and emptiness, embodying ma (間) — the Japanese sense of meaningful space.

• The piece captures movement and stillness simultaneously, revealing Yusui Toku’s mastery of balance between design and philosophy.

Artwork Details

• Artist: Yusui Toku (湯水得)

• Title: 風 (Kaze / The Wind)

• Series: Unai (うない)

• Year: 1978 (Shōwa 53)

• Medium: Woodblock / mixed media on handmade washi paper

• Style: Kaga Yuzen–inspired patterning

• Edition: Limited to 50 prints

• Publisher: Fuji Art Publishing (Japan)

Collector Highlights

• One of the most poetic and minimal works in the Unai series

• A meditation on impermanence and communication through nature

• Rare Shōwa-era fine art print in pristine condition

• Ideal for collectors of Japanese spiritual art, minimalist aesthetics, and poetry-inspired prints