Glossary of Japanese Printmaking Terms

Glossary of Japanese woodblock printmaking terminology (entry by David Bull)

An .mp3 file containing all these words spoken by a native Japanese speaker can be played (or downloaded) from this link (If you open it in a new tab or window, you can read this page while listening ...)

Thanks to Sadako Ishizaki for the recording!

Ai

Indigo.

Aisuki

Flat, bull-nosed chisel.

Ara-to

Rough sharpening stone.

Ategami

Thin, strong paper sometimes placed over the printing paper to protect it from the baren.

Ategawa

The hard disc of the baren, that holds the inner coil.

Ate-ita

The board on which prints are placed after being pulled off the block.

Baren

The circular tool used to apply pressure to the paper.

Baren-suji

Marks left in the print by the baren (intentional).

Baren-wata

The cloth pad on which the baren is placed.

Beni

A traditional pink/red pigment.

Benigara

A rusty dark red/brown pigment.

Beta-ban

A woodblock containing an area of wide, featureless colour.

Beta-zuri

Flat tone printing.

Bokashi

Gradation.

Dasu

'Push'. Used in reference to moving the kento mark away from the printer.

Do-bori

'Body carving' - e.g. 'regular carving'. (As opposed to 'head carving', done by the top rank carvers.)

Dosa

Size. Usually a mixture of gelatin (nikawa) and alum (myoban), applied warm to both sides of the printing paper before use.

Fuki-tori

'Wiping off'. A technique of manipulating the pigment on the block.

Genga

'Original drawing'

Gofun

A white substance obtained from ground-up shells.

Goma-zuri

Printing in a 'sesame seed' pattern - e.g. with rather 'speckled' colour ... not smooth.

Hake

Brush (pron: hah-kay)

Hanshita

Tracing on thin paper to be pasted face-down on the block surface.

Hari-awase

Using one side of the block for more than one colour zone.

Hashibame

Crosspieces of wood attached to the ends of a block to help prevent warping.

Hawasu

'Crawl'. Used to describe a method of stacking paper.

Hiki-tsuke

'Straight line'. The 'partner' to the L-shaped 'kagi' corner mark of the kento.

Hiku

'Pull'. Used in reference to moving the kento towards the printer.

Hira-nomi

Flat chisel.

Honoki

Magnolia tree.

Hon-zuri

'Real printing' (as opposed to 'kentomi zuri' - test printing)

Hori

Carving.

Hori-dai

The carver's workbench

Hosho

A fine paper used for woodblock printing

Iro-ban

Colour block.

Iro-ochi

Errors in which small areas of colour are forgotten in the carving of the colour blocks.

Iro-sashi

The sheet that shows where any given area of colour is to be carved.

Iro-wake

The process of making the colour separations.

Ita-bokashi

Gradation by sanding the carved areas of the block.

Kagi

The 'L' mark portion of the kento.

Kake-awase

Using one block multiple times with different colours.

Kanna-mura

Marks left by uneven planing.

Kara-zuri

'Empty printing'. Embossing.

Kashira-bori

'Head carving' - e.g. skilled carving. (As opposed to 'body carving', done by lower rank carvers.)

Kasure

A style of carving which imitates the stroke of a dry brush.

Kata-bake

A brush with pigment applied only at one end.

Kento

Register marks (see 'kagi' and 'hiki-tsuke')

Kentomi

'Test printing' (as opposed to 'hon zuri' - real printing)

Kento-nomi

Chisel designed specifically for cutting kento marks

Ketsu-ochi

Blots on the print caused by the paper 'touching down' in the wrong areas

Ketsu-soji

Cleaning up the ketsu-ochi

Kira-zuri

Printing with mica powder

Kozo

The paper mulberry tree

Kui-ki

A small shim of wood driven into the block to adjust the kento

Kyogo

An impression taken from the key-block, for the purpose of making iro-sashi.

Madake

A type of bamboo, used for wrapping the baren.

Maru-bake

The 'modern' type of printing brush.

Maru-nomi

Round chisel

Masa-ban

The name given to the standard size of hosho paper.

Masame

Straight grain (in wood)

Mae-bako

'Front box' (The box in front of the printer on which paper to be printed is stacked)

Meko-ita

Flat board used to rub the bamboo skin.

Mekuri-dai

The box or stand on which the 'ate-ita' is placed.

Mimi-tsuki

'With ears' Paper with the original rough borders.

Muda-bori

'Waste carving'. Carved areas that will be removed when no longer needed for iro-wake calculations.

Mizu-bake

'Water brush'. The brush used for moistening the paper before printing.

Mura-zuri

Uneven printing.

Naka-to

A medium sharpening stone.

Nagura

A soft stone used to create 'mud' on a sharpening stone.

Nokori-enogu

Pigment left on the block after printing.

Nyu-bachi

A ceramic mortar.

O-bokashi

Wide area gradation.

Otosu

'Put'. Used to describe a method of stacking paper.

Sakame

'Backwards grain'. An area of wood grain that runs 'reversed' from the rest of the block.

Sankaku-to

Triangular chisel ('V' - shaped)

Sarai

The process of clearing unneeded wood from the block

Sen-gaki

Outline drawing

Shiage-to

Fine sharpening stone

Shira-dake

'White bamboo'. Used for baren construction.

Sho-men-zuri

Printing from the front surface of the paper.

Shu

Vermillion

Sumi

Black, carbon-based pigment.

Sumi-ban

The outline (black) block.

Suri

Printing.

Suri-dai

The printer's bench.

Sute-bori

'Throw-away carving'. Used to describe the process of cutting a 'release' line before the actual line itself.

Tamari

Blotches of paste on the edges of printed areas.

Tataki

'Beating'. Used to describe banging the brush onto the block to dislodge pigment from small holes, etc.

To

The carving knife.

To-ishi

Sharpening stone

Tokibo

The small bamboo 'whisk' that carries pigment to the block. (Also called 'hakobi')

Tokusa

Pewterwort. Used to rub the wood surface to improve printing conditions.

Torinoko

A common printing paper.

Tsubaki-abura

Camellia oil

Tsubushi-ban

same as 'beta-ban'

Tsuki-bori

Chisels used with a pushing motion.

Urushi

Japanese lacquer

Wari-ban

A split block.

Yama-zakura

The mountain cherry tree

Yoko-bako

'Side box'. A small box for printer's tools.

Zokin-zuri

'Rag printing'. Using a cloth to wipe the block.

(Note: This page is one entry in the 'Encyclopedia of Woodblock Printmaking'. If you came to this page 'directly', and not via the Encyclopedia's main outline - click here to make your way to the front page ...)

Ai		Indigo.
Aisuki		Flat, bull-nosed chisel.
Ara-to		Rough sharpening stone.
Ategami		Thin, strong paper sometimes placed over the printing paper to protect it from the baren.
Ategawa		The hard disc of the baren, that holds the inner coil.
Ate-ita		The board on which prints are placed after being pulled off the block.
Baren		The circular tool used to apply pressure to the paper.
Baren-suji		Marks left in the print by the baren (intentional).
Baren-wata		The cloth pad on which the baren is placed.
Beni		A traditional pink/red pigment.
Benigara		A rusty dark red/brown pigment.
Beta-ban		A woodblock containing an area of wide, featureless colour.
Beta-zuri		Flat tone printing.
Bokashi		Gradation.
Dasu		'Push'. Used in reference to moving the kento mark away from the printer.
Do-bori		'Body carving' - e.g. 'regular carving'. (As opposed to 'head carving', done by the top rank carvers.)
Dosa		Size. Usually a mixture of gelatin (nikawa) and alum (myoban), applied warm to both sides of the printing paper before use.
Fuki-tori		'Wiping off'. A technique of manipulating the pigment on the block.
Genga		'Original drawing'
Gofun		A white substance obtained from ground-up shells.
Goma-zuri		Printing in a 'sesame seed' pattern - e.g. with rather 'speckled' colour ... not smooth.
Hake		Brush (pron: hah-kay)
Hanshita		Tracing on thin paper to be pasted face-down on the block surface.
Hari-awase		Using one side of the block for more than one colour zone.
Hashibame		Crosspieces of wood attached to the ends of a block to help prevent warping.
Hawasu		'Crawl'. Used to describe a method of stacking paper.
Hiki-tsuke		'Straight line'. The 'partner' to the L-shaped 'kagi' corner mark of the kento.
Hiku		'Pull'. Used in reference to moving the kento towards the printer.
Hira-nomi		Flat chisel.
Honoki		Magnolia tree.
Hon-zuri		'Real printing' (as opposed to 'kentomi zuri' - test printing)
Hori		Carving.
Hori-dai		The carver's workbench
Hosho		A fine paper used for woodblock printing
Iro-ban		Colour block.
Iro-ochi		Errors in which small areas of colour are forgotten in the carving of the colour blocks.
Iro-sashi		The sheet that shows where any given area of colour is to be carved.
Iro-wake		The process of making the colour separations.
Ita-bokashi		Gradation by sanding the carved areas of the block.
Kagi		The 'L' mark portion of the kento.
Kake-awase		Using one block multiple times with different colours.
Kanna-mura		Marks left by uneven planing.
Kara-zuri		'Empty printing'. Embossing.
Kashira-bori		'Head carving' - e.g. skilled carving. (As opposed to 'body carving', done by lower rank carvers.)
Kasure		A style of carving which imitates the stroke of a dry brush.
Kata-bake		A brush with pigment applied only at one end.
Kento		Register marks (see 'kagi' and 'hiki-tsuke')
Kentomi		'Test printing' (as opposed to 'hon zuri' - real printing)
Kento-nomi		Chisel designed specifically for cutting kento marks
Ketsu-ochi		Blots on the print caused by the paper 'touching down' in the wrong areas
Ketsu-soji		Cleaning up the ketsu-ochi
Kira-zuri		Printing with mica powder
Kozo		The paper mulberry tree
Kui-ki		A small shim of wood driven into the block to adjust the kento
Kyogo		An impression taken from the key-block, for the purpose of making iro-sashi.
Madake		A type of bamboo, used for wrapping the baren.
Maru-bake		The 'modern' type of printing brush.
Maru-nomi		Round chisel
Masa-ban		The name given to the standard size of hosho paper.
Masame		Straight grain (in wood)
Mae-bako		'Front box' (The box in front of the printer on which paper to be printed is stacked)
Meko-ita		Flat board used to rub the bamboo skin.
Mekuri-dai		The box or stand on which the 'ate-ita' is placed.
Mimi-tsuki		'With ears' Paper with the original rough borders.
Muda-bori		'Waste carving'. Carved areas that will be removed when no longer needed for iro-wake calculations.
Mizu-bake		'Water brush'. The brush used for moistening the paper before printing.
Mura-zuri		Uneven printing.
Naka-to		A medium sharpening stone.
Nagura		A soft stone used to create 'mud' on a sharpening stone.
Nokori-enogu		Pigment left on the block after printing.
Nyu-bachi		A ceramic mortar.
O-bokashi		Wide area gradation.
Otosu		'Put'. Used to describe a method of stacking paper.
Sakame		'Backwards grain'. An area of wood grain that runs 'reversed' from the rest of the block.
Sankaku-to		Triangular chisel ('V' - shaped)
Sarai		The process of clearing unneeded wood from the block
Sen-gaki		Outline drawing
Shiage-to		Fine sharpening stone
Shira-dake		'White bamboo'. Used for baren construction.
Sho-men-zuri		Printing from the front surface of the paper.
Shu		Vermillion
Sumi		Black, carbon-based pigment.
Sumi-ban		The outline (black) block.
Suri		Printing.
Suri-dai		The printer's bench.
Sute-bori		'Throw-away carving'. Used to describe the process of cutting a 'release' line before the actual line itself.
Tamari		Blotches of paste on the edges of printed areas.
Tataki		'Beating'. Used to describe banging the brush onto the block to dislodge pigment from small holes, etc.
To		The carving knife.
To-ishi		Sharpening stone
Tokibo		The small bamboo 'whisk' that carries pigment to the block. (Also called 'hakobi')
Tokusa		Pewterwort. Used to rub the wood surface to improve printing conditions.
Torinoko		A common printing paper.
Tsubaki-abura		Camellia oil
Tsubushi-ban		same as 'beta-ban'
Tsuki-bori		Chisels used with a pushing motion.
Urushi		Japanese lacquer
Wari-ban		A split block.
Yama-zakura		The mountain cherry tree
Yoko-bako		'Side box'. A small box for printer's tools.
Zokin-zuri		'Rag printing'. Using a cloth to wipe the block.