Mokuhanga

Mokuhanga is the traditional Japanese woodblock printing process most people are referring to when they talk about Japanese woodblock prints. It is a form of relief printmaking that uses carved wood blocks, water-based inks, and hand printing rather than a mechanical press.

The word “mokuhanga” itself literally means “woodblock print” in Japanese and can refer both to the technique and to the resulting prints.

While the term “Japanese woodblock printing” is often used broadly, mokuhanga refers specifically to the process used to create those prints—not just the visual style or historical tradition.

What is mokuhanga?

Mokuhanga is a relief printmaking process in which an image is carved into wood, inked with water-based pigments mixed with rice starch paste, and printed by hand onto absorbent Japanese paper, commonly washi. The raised areas of the carved block carry the ink, while the carved-away areas do not print. Brushes are traditionally used to apply pigment and paste to the block, which helps create nuanced color and tone. This combination of water-based pigments, paste, absorbent paper, and controlled hand pressure is what gives mokuhanga prints their layered color, soft edges, and subtle surface qualities.

Unlike many Western woodcut methods, mokuhanga typically relies on hand pressure applied with a handheld rubbing tool, traditionally a baren, rather than a printing press. While some Western relief printmakers also print by hand and some contemporary mokuhanga artists experiment with presses, hand-printing with a baren remains the characteristic approach. This hand-printing, in combination with the materials, allows for precise registration and delicate, repeatable impressions.

Is mokuhanga the same as Japanese woodblock printing?

Mokuhanga is not a synonym for all Japanese woodblock printing, but it is the specific process behind most historical and contemporary Japanese woodblock prints.

“Japanese woodblock printing” is a broad, descriptive phrase. Mokuhanga is the technical term for the method itself—how the image is carved, inked, and printed. Using the process name helps distinguish how the print is made from where or when it was made.

How the mokuhanga printing process works

At a high level, the mokuhanga process involves:

1. An image is transferred onto one or more wood blocks, usually one block per color
2. Blocks are carved so the raised surfaces will print and the cut-away areas stay white
3. Water-based pigments mixed with rice starch paste are brushed onto the block
4. Damp washi paper is printed by hand using a baren
5. These printing steps are repeated for each block to build up layered color

Each color is typically printed from a separate block. Because the inks are water-based, they soak slightly into the paper rather than sitting entirely on the surface. This interaction between pigment, paper, and pressure is central to the look and feel of mokuhanga prints.

Key characteristics of mokuhanga prints

Mokuhanga prints are often recognized by a combination of material and visual qualities:

• Water-based inks that produce soft transitions and layered color
• Visible wood grain that can remain part of the final image
• Subtle color blending created through overlapping impressions
• Strong paper interaction, with ink absorbed into the fibers rather than sitting on top

These characteristics come from the materials and process itself, not from stylistic choices alone.

Mokuhanga in Japanese printmaking traditions

Mokuhanga developed within Japanese printmaking traditions and was widely used for illustrated books and multicolor prints. Over time, it became closely associated with the prints commonly recognized today as Japanese woodblock prints, including ukiyo-e. 

While historical context is important, mokuhanga is best understood as a living process rather than a historical artifact. Artists around the world continue to use and adapt the method in both traditional and contemporary ways, exploring everything from faithful Edo-period techniques to highly experimental practices. This ongoing use underscores mokuhanga as a flexible, evolving approach to relief printmaking rather than a fixed historical style.

Mokuhanga compared to other woodcut processes

Mokuhanga vs Western woodcut

Mokuhanga uses water-based inks and hand printing, while many Western woodcut traditions rely on oil-based inks and printing presses. These differences affect color behavior, surface texture, and the physical experience of printing.

Mokuhanga vs wood engraving

Wood engraving is typically carved into the end grain of hard wood using fine tools, allowing for very detailed lines. Mokuhanga is usually carved into the side grain of softer wood and is well suited to both precise line work and layered color printing

Can mokuhanga be combined with other processes?

Yes. Contemporary artists often combine mokuhanga with other printmaking processes, such as other relief processes, including Western woodcut. These combinations expand what the process can do while still relying on the core principles of carved blocks, water-based inks, and hand printing.