Yusui Toku “Unai” Series – ‘Unanoko’ うなの児 (Children of Unai) – 1978 Shōwa Era Title Work | Kaga Yuzen Style Washi Print

About the Artwork
This is the title work of the Unai (うない) series by Yusui Toku (湯水得), a masterful 1978 collection of 50 prints exploring the innocence, spirituality, and poetic grace of Japanese childhood.
The term “Unai” originates from classical Japanese literature — particularly the Manyōshū — where unai no ko refers to young children as symbols of untainted beauty and divine purity.

In this composition, two elegantly dressed children appear in ceremonial court robes, their gestures poised yet playful. The intricate Kaga Yuzen–inspired textile patterns and soft muted colors express both nobility and tenderness — a celebration of Heian-era refinement reimagined through Shōwa sensibility.

Cultural Symbolism
The “Unai” children represent a spiritual metaphor: the divine presence manifesting in the simple beauty of human innocence. Their garments, featuring circular motifs and floral geometry, echo the aesthetic harmony of Japanese textile and poetry traditions.
This print, like the others in the series, was hand-printed on fine washi paper with soft deckled edges, exemplifying postwar Japan’s revival of woodblock craftsmanship.

Poetic Inscription (Verso)

うなの児 (Unanoko)
“In the temple court,
the children’s sleeves flutter in the spring breeze —
reflections of heaven’s gentle rhythm.”
(paraphrased from the verse on the back)

Artwork Details

• Artist: Yusui Toku (湯水得)

• Title: うなの児 (Unanoko / Children of Unai)

• Series: Unai (うない)

• Year: 1978 (Shōwa 53)

• Medium: Woodblock / mixed technique print on handmade washi paper

• Style: Kaga Yuzen textile influence

• Edition: Limited to 50 prints

• Publisher: Fuji Art Publishing (Japan)

Collector Highlights

• The title work of the Unai series — centerpiece of the collection

• Expresses the poetic and spiritual ideal of Japanese innocence (Manyōshū inspired)

• Rare Showa-era edition with meticulous hand-printed detail

• A perfect representation of Yusui Toku’s refined synthesis of art, poetry, and design