There are two main types of entry here in the Woodblock RoundTable. The first type - found through the left-most tab below - are the short stories that I write to include with each of the woodblock prints that I send out. Although the prints can be appreciated on their own as simply beautiful 'objects', I think that having at least a short explanation of how/why they were made is much appreciated by the collectors.
The second and third tabs contain links to a number of short essays. Although woodblock printmaking takes most of my time, and provides most of my income, in recent years I have been spending an increasing amount of time at the keyboard of my word processor.
I originally started writing with the sole intent of producing those pieces for accompanying the prints - as well as stories for my newsletter (Hyakunin-Issho) - but after getting requests from one of Tokyo's English-language newspapers (The Mainichi Weekly) to contribute short essays, I was encouraged to write about a wider variety of subjects. One thing led to another, and I now find I have quite a shelf full ... In addition to the Mainichi, I have had pieces published by The Japan Times, The Daily Yomiuri, and various magazines.
I'm not a very 'serious' essayist, and you won't find much deep social commentary or biting satire in any of these pieces. They are familiar in tone and quite light in weight. I don't really know if there is much interest in them, although the responses in the 'Letters from Readers' column in the Mainichi seems to indicate that there might be. Take a 'nibble' at a few of them at random. I would be interested in hearing your comments.
The right-most tab contains the 'Progress Reports' on the print currently under construction, as well as links to material that doesn't fit the other categories.