Ofuda Hakase Frederick Starr

While organizing the vast collection of senshafuda, which I have in my possession for research in Helsinki, I came across a fuda-style print, that seems to be a copy of a letter. The message is signed by Frederick Starr in Tokyo, on March 23th, Taisho 6 (Western calendar year 1918). The Japanese translation of Starr’s handwritten words can be found on the left side of the print.



Frederick Starr (1858-1933) was a professor of anthropology at the University of Chicago. Among other things he is known as an enthusiastic researcher of Japanese culture and life. Starr travelled in Japan multiple times in the early years of 20^th century. He also took part to Shikoku pilgrimage. Probably he was the first foreigner who seriously attempted to visit all the 88 temples on the holy route.

The thing that the letter of gratitude by Starr, written freely at the nosatsu-collectors meeting, was carefully transferred and carved on woodblock, and then printed into several copies, reveals the high appreciation that Japanese people felt towards this American professor. Story goes that people came in cheering crowds to welcome Starr at railway stations when he traveled in the countryside. Such stories may be somewhat exaggerated but the fact remains that Starr was truly well-liked among Japanese people. He seems to have adjusted seamingly with the Japanese daily manners. A Japanese writer who knew Starr noted in his article that "Starr is no different from the Japanese, having a bath, eating sashimi and miso... and can even sit properly on the tatami."

Frederick Starr had various research projects while in Japan. The one for which he is best known is his study of senshafuda (senjafuda), woodblock printed votive slips, which originally were produced for pilgrims as personal name tags to be pasted on temple gates and pillars. The nick name Ofuda Hakase, meaning “Doctor of Fuda” or “Fuda Professor” in English, comes from Starr’s notably strong interest in fuda-prints.

In the latter half of the 19^th century senshafudas developed into beautiful multicolour artworks with widely ranging motifs and large scale themes. They were designed by professional artists and were executed as woodblock prints by highly skilled artisans. The fuda-collectors formed groups that gathered in regular Nosatsu-kai meetings to exchange their prints. Starr probably attended in many of those gatherings. The activity of fuda-collector groups reached its peak during the first decades of the 20th century, but the tradition has not completely faded. Small Nosatsu-kai meetings still take place in Tokyo. They have even made a present-day fuda-print of Frederick Starr! You can find it and other interesting collector’s info at  http://www.geocities.jp/edoutako_y/ (in Japanese)

I am anxious to know more about Starr and his relationship with Japan. I wonder if there are such keen fuda-collectors in the West nowadays?

Left: Another interesting fuda-style woodblock print carrying Starr’s name. Estimating by the appearance of the lettering and variation in the thickness of lines, the original writing was written with an ink brush. This one is a thank-you note, too. The print is signed by Maebashi Hanbei, Starr’s regular interpreter, who accompanied him in all his travels.











Fuda-prints in this blog:  Sumio Yamazaki Collection, Kyoto
Link to F.Starr in Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Starr
Other references: David C. Moreton, An Account of the Shikoku Pilgrimage by Frederick Starr. Article in The Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, vol. 19 / 2005

Welcome to Mokuhanga Study Room!

This blog is created by Finnish printmaker and book artist Tuula Moilanen in co-operation with Sumio Yamazaki, a dealer and collector of antique Japanese prints and art books in Kyoto. Together we study Japanese old printing methods, especially woodcuts, and bring you new information about their yet hidden secrets.

More information about us:
www.tuulamoilanen.net 
http://www.artbooks.jp/

WHAT IS MOKUHANGA?
Word mokuhanga means "woodcut print" in Japanese language. Nowadays it is also used to describe Japanese watercolor woodcut printing technique. Famous ukiyo-e prints from 18th and 19th century, which were designed by master artists such as Hokusai and Utamaro, are all made with mokuhanga. In those days this demanding printing technique was also widely used in book production, advertising and in various paper crafts. 

COMING UP!

Please follow our next updates on curious old print items from Meiji-Taisho period.

HIKIFUDA
Hikifuda posters were designed in Japan as New Year gifts for customers by various shops and manufacturers. They usually carry well-wishing images of good luck and fortune, for example Fuji-mountain, cranes, Fukusuke or O-Fuku. Among the seven lucky gods the most popular ones used are Daikoku and Ebisu. Sometimes a calendar for the becoming year is included in the advertisement. A picture base for the poster was often provided by the printing workshop. The product information and the merchant’s name was printed on the blank space usually composed on the left side of the poster.

The short production period of hikifuda posters dates around the turn of the 20th century. The most valued posters are made with woodblock printing technique, but also the ones printed with lithography and offset methods of the time are nowadays considered as highly interesting collectible items.


SENSHAFUDA
Original senshafuda (senjafuda) votive slips are always made with woodblock printing. They came into fashion in the beginning of the 19th century when a trend for travel begun and many pilgrimage routes developed. First senshafudas were simple black and white name labels that were pasted on the pillars of shrines and temples. This was to prove the visitor’s own faith and also to gain appreciation from the other visitors coming into the same temple.

Gradually senshafudas developed into multicolor small artworks that were published by devoted collectors in senshafuda-exchange groups. Each collector group produced senshafuda prints with various themes, starting with famous kabuki-actors and landscapes in ukiyo-e style to modern style design of folk traditions and objects of daily life. The activity of senshafuda exchange groups reached its peak during the first decades of the 20th century.

Senshafuda with kabuki-actors

TAKARABUNE
Takarabune (treasure boat) prints have magical powers. They were used in Japan during the New Year for gaining the best possible hatsuyume, the first dream of the year.  The print was placed under the pillow before going to sleep on the last night of the old year. The picture of a boat filled with rice and various treasures, and with the seven lucky gods on board helped to provide good omens for becoming year. 

Merchants in Edo-period Japan cleverly adapted the custom of takarabune pictures to their own advertising purposes. They started to publish ever more finely executed takarabune prints in vast quantities as gifts to customers and also for sale. A new magic was attached to the prints: When the print is pasted over a doorway, so that the boat in the picture is heading inside the house, it will bring you good luck and riches all the year round.


POCHIBUKURO
Pochibukuros are printed envelopes used for giving small money gifts. Their production started during the 19th century, when a vast variety of woodcut printed items came out to the market. The exact production date for each individual pochibukuro is unknown due to their practical use as wrapping.

There are many skillful art works among the early pochibukuro. The motifs on the envelopes vary from cultural peculiarities and literary themes to simple kimono patterns depicting fauna and flora. Sometimes miniature ukiyo-e images were printed for the enjoyment of wealthy customers.

In the first half of the 20th century the use of pochibukuro concentrated to the New Year’s time. Nowadays genuine woodblock printed pochibukuros have become extremely rare, but the custom of handing out money wrapped in an envelope still prevails in Japan