Highlights
- Immerse yourself in the world of shunga at a unique Noh Theater exhibition
- Informational panels are available in English
- Discover over 100 shunga works from the Edo period
- Explore themes of desire and intimacy through multicolored woodblock prints
- Visit the exhibition at your own pace with a ticket for your chosen date
Description
A Contest of Allure: Hokusai and Eisen - Kabukicho in Full Bloom
From April 4 (Sat) to May 31 (Sun), 2026, the third installment of the Shinjuku Kabukicho Shunga Exhibition: WA will present
Bold, unrestrained, and bewitching.
Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) wielded his brush with absolute freedom even in shunga.
Decadent and seductive.
Keisai Eisen (1791–1848) admired Hokusai’s style, studied it deeply, and developed a sensuality uniquely his own.
Although Eisen first studied ukiyo-e under Kikukawa Eizan and began his career as a ukiyo-e artist, he later wrote in his book Mumeiō Zuihitsu, he wrote that he “admired Master Hokusai’s style, received instruction in the fundamental principles of painting, and later established his own school,” acknowledging the influence of Hokusai on his work.
Yet while the two artists influenced one another.
Their visions of allure were never the same.
How did they confront the human condition?
How did they depict desire?
This exhibition presents approximately 100 works from the shunga collection of Mitsuru Uragami, representative of Uragami Sōkyūdō. Centered on the shunga of Hokusai and Eisen, the exhibition also introduces works by artists who inherited Hokusai’s artistic lineage.
In addition, Hokusai’s celebrated masterpiece “Tako to Ama” (The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife) from the series “Kinoe no Komatsu” (Pine Seedlings on the First Rat Day) will be featured in a special limited-time display.
Ukiyo-e works evoking the arrival of spring will also be exhibited, bringing together shunga and spring imagery in full seasonal bloom.
Kabukicho is a place where people gather night after night, where countless lives intersect.
A city filled with human warmth, human contradictions, and the unmistakable scent of life, yet one that ultimately affirms the tenderness of being human.
Shunga and Kabukicho.
Edo and Kabukicho.
Even across centuries, the gaze that cherishes humanity remains unchanged.
Hokusai and Eisen breathe once again in Kabukicho.
Now begins the contest of allure between two masters.
Kabukicho, in full bloom.
■ Age Restriction■
Admission is restricted to visitors aged 18 and over.
Age verification is required at the time of ticket purchase. Visitors may also be asked to present identification (such as a passport, driver's license, or health insurance card) upon entry.
Contact
TEL: +81-3-6380-3663
Email: shunga.kabukicho@gmail.com
■ Official Links ■
Official Website
https://www.smappa.net/shunga/
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/shunga_kabukicho/
X (Twitter)
https://x.com/KabukichoShunga
Note
https://note.com/smappa_jpnbunka/m/mc665f23ef026
Includes
Access to the Shunga Main Exhibition & Second venue with souvenirs shop
Viewing of approximately 100 Ukiyo-e shunga artworks
Late-night opening on Fridays and Saturdays
Excludes
Food and drinks
Guided tour (unless selected)
Important Information
- Admission is restricted to visitors aged 18 and over
Age verification is required at the time of ticket purchase
Visitors may be asked to present valid identification upon entry
Re-entry is permitted on the same day
Easy cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
