Tōkyō Jiman Jūni-kagetsu – July: Kuruwa no Tōrō by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

東京自慢十二ヶ月 七月 廙3の燈籠

Tōkyō Jiman Jūni-kagetsu – Shichigatsu: Kuruwa no Tōrō

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (Taiso Yoshitoshi) | Meiji era

From the celebrated series Tōkyō Jiman Jūni-kagetsu (東京自慢十二ヶ月, Twelve Months of Tokyo Pride), this luminous July print by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (月岡芳年, 1839–1892) — celebrated as “the last great Ukiyo-e master” — captures the enchanting atmosphere of the Yoshiwara pleasure quarter on a summer night. 🏮

About the Work

Against a luminous full moon, a beautiful woman in an elegant purple kimono gazes into the distance, her expression serene and otherworldly. Behind her, a dramatic kaidan (ghost story) painting adorns the wall — a hallmark of Yoshiwara's summer entertainment — while lanterns glow softly in the background, evoking the famous Tamagiku Tōrō (玉菊燈籠) lantern festival. 🌕

The juxtaposition of the serene beauty and the eerie ghost painting behind her is quintessential Yoshitoshi — a master of tension between beauty and darkness, elegance and the uncanny.

The Tamagiku Tōrō Festival

The Tamagiku Tōrō was a beloved summer tradition of the Yoshiwara (吉原) pleasure quarter in Edo and early Meiji Tokyo. Each summer, the quarter was adorned with hundreds of lanterns in memory of the legendary courtesan Tamagiku, transforming the streets into a magical, glowing spectacle that drew visitors from across the city. ⛩️

The Series: Tōkyō Jiman Jūni-kagetsu

Tōkyō Jiman Jūni-kagetsu is a twelve-print series in which Yoshitoshi documented the seasonal customs and pleasures of Meiji-era Tokyo, one month at a time. Each print pairs a beautifully rendered female figure with a distinctive seasonal setting — creating a rich portrait of Tokyo life at the cusp of modernity. 🌸

About Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

A pupil of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi is widely regarded as the last great master of the Ukiyo-e tradition. Working through the turbulent transition from Edo to Meiji Japan, he produced an extraordinary body of work spanning bijin-ga, historical scenes, ghost stories, and warrior prints — always distinguished by psychological depth, dynamic composition, and an unmatched command of color and line.

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At Atelier UKIYO, we celebrate the timeless beauty of Ukiyo-e woodblock prints — bringing these masterworks into contemporary life through premium art prints and artist-led collections.

Explore our collection and discover the art of Yoshitoshi and other masters. 🪭🎴