About the Open Call

The Adachi Contemporary UKIYOE Award 2025 is now calling for 21st-century ukiyo-e artists. Ukiyo-e prints, loved worldwide, are the result of a collaborative effort by three artisans: the ukiyo-e artist, represented by masters like Hokusai and Hiroshige, who draws the original design; the carver, who meticulously carves the design onto woodblocks; and the printer, who transfers the image onto washi paper. The works created by these artists have served as a “mirror of the times,” reflecting the societal and cultural contexts of their era and captivating many people. Since its inception in 2009, the Adachi UKIYOE Award has sought artists to become the next generation of ukiyo-e artists, producing designs that serve as the foundation for modern ukiyo-e. Award winners will have the opportunity to collaborate with contemporary carvers and printers to turn their designs into woodcut prints. Would you like to become a ukiyo-e artist like Hokusai and create works in collaboration with today’s carvers and printers? Application Schedule (Japan Time): July 2025: Call for entries begins. Wednesday, December 25, 2025: Submission deadline (must be received by this date). February 2026: Announcement of the selection results. From April 2026: Woodcut print production by the award winners begins. The completed woodcut prints are scheduled to be publicly exhibited at the showroom of the Adachi Foundation for the Preservation of Woodcut Printing. Judges: Seiichiro Miida (Professor, Tokyo University of the Arts), Tomio Koyama (Gallerist), Yuji Yamashita (Professor, Meiji Gakuin University). The works of the applicants must not infringe on others’ copyright. The application will be canceled if we find that their works infringe on another’s copyright. The copyright of the winners’ woodcut prints belongs to The Adachi Foundation. If the request for a commercial using the image or print itself of the prize winner is made, the Adachi Foundation will handle the case with the prize winner’s permission. The Adachi Foundation does not accept any application which does not meet the regulations of the award. The application is invalid if it is out of or lacks application qualification. The portfolio can be returned if only the applicant requests and can be returned only if the shipping address is in Japan and the shipping fee is paid by the applicant. We will not be able to answer any questions about the selection process. We only use all privacy information of applicants for this award for the purpose of the award. Please see our general privacy policy. This award is Sponsored by: The Adachi Foundation for the Preservation of Woodcut Printing. Cooperated by: The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints. Designed by: Takehiko Tsutsumi, ebc.

What is Offered

Winners will receive prize money (1st Prize: 300,000 yen, 2nd Prize: 150,000 yen, 3rd Prize: 50,000 yen). The 1st and 2nd prize winners will also have their submitted picture transformed into a woodcut print by contemporary artisans, with a complete print given to them. The completed woodcut prints are scheduled to be publicly exhibited at the showroom of the Adachi Foundation for the Preservation of Woodcut Printing.

Requirements

Applicants must submit an application form and images of 5-10 past works. Submitted artworks must be hand-drawn on paper (or digitally), not photographs, prints, or 3D works. AI-generated elements must be clearly indicated. Each work must include title, size, year of production, and medium. Submissions are limited to individual applicants only, no group or workshop submissions. There are no restrictions on genre, background, age, or nationality. Works must not infringe on others’ copyright.

How to Apply

Applicants should visit the online application form to fill in necessary information and upload images of 5 to 10 past works. Provide required details (Title, size, year of production, medium) for each work. The online form is via Google Forms, but applicants preferring an alternative platform should email adachi@adachi-hanga.com.