Students of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

Some of Yoshitoshi's students went on to become influential themselves; some had numerous students of their own, including Toshikata (15 students), Toshihide (16 students), and Toshitsune. Others were more obscure; over half the students listed on Yoshitoshi's 1898 memorial are known only by name, and not from any works.

As was usual with Japanese artists, most students' gō includes a character from their master's gō; in Yoshitoshi's case, it was the second character in Yoshitoshi's gō, 年, meaning "year". This character can be read in two different ways; the Japanese (kun) reading 'toshi', and the Chinese (ON) reading, "NEN". Most of his pupils used the kun reading, but some use the ON reading.

He also gave gō to people who were not, strictly speaking, students, including two of his publishers: Matsui Eikichi, who published many of Yoshitoshi's vertical diptychs in the 1880s, who received the gō Nenyō (年葉); and Akiyama Buemon, publisher of the series '100 Aspects of the Moon'.

Duplicate Names

In other cases, the same kanji were given to two different people, but read differently for each. Examples include 年之 (Toshihisa and Toshiyuki), many of the 'Nen' names, etc.

Even more confusingly, in at least three instances he gave a particular gō, written with the same kanji, to two different people, the second after the first one died. In such cases, one needs the family name to distinguish between them. They are:

• Yamazaki (山崎) and Shirai (白井) Toshinobu (年信)
• Tsukioka (月岡) and ?? Toshihisa (年之)
• Toshimaru

Name Readings

In general, woodblock artists' gō use the kun readings rather than the on; in addition, in the Utagawa school, certain readings for some characters are 'usual'. These two principles together have probably produced the correct readings in most cases, but there may be some errors. All such entries, where the reading has not been confirmed by other sources, are marked with '?*'.

Family and given names are more problematic, and in general readings there have not been given unless there is a source to attest to the correct reading.

Name Kanji

Sample signatures

An attempt has been made to check identifications, but often the images are of middling quality, making checking hard. In addition, the process of checking, as best as is possible, has not yet been completed. So, be careful about relying too much on any reproduced signature.

The Students

Other names, when included, include:

• Family names (氏 - SHI or uji), listed in bold
• Given names (名 - na or 名乗 - nanori, the latter being archaic; 俗名 - zokumyō; and tsushō), listed in italics
• Gō (号), listed in normal font.

The list also includes a number of artists who have not been confirmed as students of Yoshitoshi, but have gō which start with the character 年. They have been included as they are likely students of his; indeed, Keyes indicates (pg. 535) that "all artists of the late nineteenth century whose names begin with the[] syllables ['Yoshi'] are his pupils."

For a few signatures, we have larger images. Click on an image to show the larger version, for those which do.

Signature sample	Full name	Kanji	Other names	Dates	Brief Bio
	Kobayashi Eitaku	小林 永濯	Shūjirō, Tokusen Sensai, Issensai, Baikodō, Kadō, Mugyo	1843-1890	He was born in Edo, and was the son of a fish-merchant. He studied with Kanō Eitoku Tatsunobu (Keyes seems to be in error in giving this name as "Tsunenobu"), and was adopted by Kanō Eishin; worked as an official painter for the Ii family, lords of Hikone. He studied and travelled with Yoshitoshi in the early 1870s, but the two later fell out. His well-known pupil, Tomioka Eisen (1864-1905) helped pay for Yoshitoshi's memorial.
	Kasai Hōsai	笠井 鳳斎			A student of Yoshitoshi in the 1880s.
	Yamanaka Kodō	山中 古洞	Satō Noboru Tatsushige (辰重), Tatsujū	1869-1945	Studied with Yoshitoshi in the 1880s; he later wrote a biography of Yoshitoshi which is one of our most important sources of information about Yoshitoshi. Merritt, "Woodblock Kuchi-e Prints", includes a somewhat lengthy biographical note (pg. 222). Merritt and Yamada, "Guide to Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints: 1900-1975", gives Shō as his given name, but this may be incorrect, as the later work makes no mention of it.
	Saitō Nengyo	斉藤 年魚			A student of Yoshitoshi in the 1880s.
	Ozaki Nenka	尾崎 年華	Shōgorō, Chōsai, Sanyō		Son of Utagawa Kunitane.
	Nishii Nenkan	西井年寛	Kinsai: Yūzō		A student of Yoshitoshi in the 1880s, who arranged for him to study painting with Mori Kansai in Kyōto.
	Hanawa Nenkō	花輪 年香
	Nenkō	年幸	Possibly Toshiyoshi (alternate reading for 年幸)		Possibly an erroneous catalogue entry.
	Katsura Nenkyo	桂 年擧	Sōsuke Tsunehide, Gyokuto	died ca. 1897	Originally a pupil of Toshitsune, he studied with Yoshitoshi, and after his death, with Gyokushō. He assisted Yoshitoshi by filling in backgrounds, and similar detail work.
	Matsui Nenyō	年
	Eda Nenshō	枝 年祥	Utagawa, Iwajirō Kunitama, Hōsai (寳斎), Ippōsai		A student of Kunisada, he worked as Kunitama in the 1860s and 1870s. After adopting Toshimasa, he received the name Nenshō. He worked as a hanshita-eshi.
	Toshiaki	年明			An early student.
	Nakazawa Toshiaki	中沢 年章	Yūsai (幽斎), Nenkō (年甲)	1864-1921	He was born in Yamanashi Prefecture, in the heart of Japan, to the west of Edo. He was better known as a traditional Japanese painter than as a woodblock artist. His specialties were bijin-ga, and images of both historical and contemporary people, particularly action scenes, which showed his excellent drawing ability.
	Toshichika	年親
	Toshiei	年		fl. ca. late 1800s
	Toshiharu	年晴
	Migita Toshihide	右田 年英	Toyohiko Bansuirō (晩翠楼), Gosai (悟斎), Ichieisai (一潁 斎), Uda	1863-1925	He was born in Oita Prefecture, on the southern island of Kyūshū, on the Inland Sea. He studied realistic Western-style painting with Kunisawa Shinkurō (leading to his own later Westernized style); after his death, he studied with Honda Kinkichirō. He later became a student of Yoshitoshi, at the age of seventeen. He produced prints in many genres: yakusha-e. bijin-ga. Sino-Japanese war prints (in the 1890s), newspaper illustrations (for the Asahi Shimbun), and also a few kuchi-e.
	Toshihide?*	年秀			It is not clear if this is same 'Toshihide' as the entry above (or even if 'hide' is the correct reading for the second character; other possibilities are 'SHŪ' and 'sugu'). Note: This image (in red) is probably not his signature; rather, it's likely his name written by Yoshitoshi.
	Toshihiro?*	年広			Note: not necessarily a student of Yoshitoshi.
	Tsukioka Toshihisa	月岡年之	Kōgyo (耕漁): Sakamaki Bennosuke	1869-1927	Originally the son of innkeepers in Nihonbashi, he became Yoshitoshi's step-son at fifteen, when his mother Sakamaki Taiko married Yoshitoshi in 1884. In addition to studying with his step-father, he also studied with Ogata Gekkō; his gō of Kōgyo was given to him by Gekkō. In addition to some kacho-e, he is best known for his prints of the Noh theatre; he was a good enough artist to inherit Yoshitoshi's artist seals in October, 1910.
	Toshihisa	年之			Little is known of this second Toshihisa.
	Toshihito (or possibly Toshisuke)	年人
	Kanaki Toshikage	年景		fl. ca. 1890s	One of Yoshitoshi's earliest pupils, he is little known except for his famous memorial portrait of his master. Note: The second image (in red) is probably not his signature; rather, it's likely his name written by Yoshitoshi.
	Mizuno Toshikata	水野 年方	Nonako Kumejirō Shōsetsu (蕉雪)	1866-1908	Mizuno Toshikata was the son of a Tōkyō plasterer who was apprenticed to Yoshitoshi in 1879, at the age of 13. After that, he studied ceramic painting with Yamada Ryūtō, and at the age of 20 became a porcelain painter, eventually rising to become a section chief at a Satsuma-ware factory. Shortly afterwards, dissatisfied with that, he returned to painting under Yoshitoshi, and also studied with Shibata Hōshū, Watanabe Shōtei and Mishima Sōshō; Yoshitoshi announced that he would be his successor. He also worked as an illustrator (he succeeded Yoshitoshi as illustrator for the Yamato shinbun in 1887, working there until 1894) and print maker, producing many Sino-Japanese war prints, as well as prints of beautiful women, children, and numerous kuchi-e. At the turn of the century, he worked as a designer for a department store. He died young, at 42, reportedly from overwork. Merritt, "Woodblock Kuchi-e Prints", includes a somewhat lengthy biographical note (pp. 209-210). Some sources spell his given name as Kunejirō; this is less likely to be correct.
	Oguri? Toshikazu	年一			Merritt contains a reference to an Oguri Toshikazu, but it's not known if that is this Toshikazu. Note: The third image (in red) is probably not his signature; rather, it's likely his name written by Yoshitoshi.
	Toshikazu?*	年数			Note: not necessarily a student of Yoshitoshi.
	Toshikazu?	年			Possibly an alternate reading for Toshimitsu (below)?
	Toshikoto	年
	Katō Toshikuni	加藤 年洲	Nenshū (alternate reading for 年洲)		He studied pottery with Takeuchi Keishū (Toshisuke), whome he introduced to Yoshitoshi.
	Fuse Toshimaro	年麿			Yoshitoshi's first pupil. Some sources give an alternative reading of 'Toshimaru' for this gō. Note: This image (in red) is probably not his signature; rather, it's likely his name written by Yoshitoshi.
	Fukushima Toshimaru	福嶋 年丸	Seijirō		A student in the 1880s.
	Utagawa Toshimasa	歌川 年昌		fl. ca. mid-1890s
	Tsutsui Toshimine	筒井 年峰 年峯	Yūzō	1863-1934	He was born in Hyōgo Prefecture, which stretches from Kobe on the Inland Sea to the Sea of Japan, in the center of the main island, Honshū. He was probably a pupil of Yoshitoshi, because his name is inscribed on the latter's memorial. He worked as kuchi-e illustrator, and also for newspapers and magazines; at the end of the first decade of the new century he was illustrating novels. He used both forms of the 'mine' character in signing his works.
	Kobayashi Toshimitsu	古林 年充 or 年光	Eisei or possibly Hidenari (栄成) Kōsai (高斎), Shinsai (進斎)	fl. 1871-1904	It is thought that all of these names refer to one person, who used the gō Kōsai (and the first characters for 'Toshimitsu') from 1871-1877, and the gō Shinsai (and latter characters for 'Toshimitsu') from 1877-1904. See this page for more.
	Teisai? Toshimitsu	年参	Nensan (alternate reading for 年参)		This may be a different person from the Toshimitsu above; sources differ.
	Suzuki Toshimoto	鈴木 年基	Sessai	fl. ca. 1880s-1890s	He was born in Osaka. His favorite subjects were historical and social scenes; he also produced several war prints during the Satsuma Rebellion.
	Shimane Toshinaka	年中	See entry for "Shimane Toshitada" (below)		This identification is from Merritt, "Woodblock Kuchi-e Prints".
	Shibata Toshindo	柴田 年人			The wife of a well-known artist.
	Kifuji Toshinobu	木藤 年延			An early student. Note: This image (in red) is probably not his signature; rather, it's likely his name written by Yoshitoshi.
	Yamazaki Toshinobu	山崎 年信	Tokusaburō Sensai, Shunkō	1857-1886	He was initially a pupil of Utagawa Kunisada, and later of Yoshitoshi. After a scandal involving a batch of prints he mis-appropriated, he left and moved to Kyōto. He lived and worked as a printmaker in both Tōkyō and Yokohama; in the latter location as a member of the Yokohama school. He also produced illustrations for books and newspapers.
	Shirai Toshinobu	白井 年信	Taguchi, Shinjirō Kuniume (国梅)	1866-1903	He later studied with Kansai, Chokusei, and Gyokushō, but eventually wound up starting a correspondence course in Japanese painting.
	Yamada Toshisada	山田 年貞
	Toshishige	年重?
	Toshishige?*	年茂			Note: not necessarily a student of Yoshitoshi. Possibly the same person as above, whose kanji has been incorrectly guessed as being the one usually used in the Utagawa school for -shige?
	Toshisue?*	年季			Note: not necessarily a student of Yoshitoshi.
	Takeuchi Toshisuke	武内 年甫	Keishū (桂舟): Shinpei	1861-1943	He was not really a student of Yoshitoshi; he received his gō from Yoshitoshi through a misunderstanding. He came by to visit one day, and Yoshitoshi mistook his purpose. They later became good friends, and his name appears on Yoshitoshi's memorial, indicating that in some sense he was a member of his school; this is somewhat ironic, as his style to some degree replaced that of Yoshitoshi in public esteem. The second son of the retainer of a daimyo in what is now Wakayama Prefecture, he initially trained in the classical Kanō school of painting. Unable to find work in that field, he worked as a porcelain painter, then a painter of hanshita, and later of an extensive number of kuchi-e. Merritt, "Woodblock Kuchi-e Prints", includes a somewhat lengthy biographical note (pp. 216-217). One sometimes sees his name given as Ginpei or Shimpei.
	Shimane Toshitada	島根 年忠	Yamada Keichū (山田 敬中): Chūzō Katoku (可得), Nanshi (南志), Nansai (南斎)	1868-1934	Born in Tōkyō, after studying with Yoshitoshi, he also studied with Kawabata Gyokushō. He became a teacher at the Tōkyō School of Fine Arts, but left, and participated in founding the Japan Art Institute. He seems to have worked mostly as a painter, not in prints.
	Fuse?* Toshitaka	布施 年鷹
	Toshitama	年
	Toshitane	年種			At one point, he worked painting under-glaze decorations on ceramics.
	Toshitei?*	年貞			Note: not necessarily a student of Yoshitoshi.
	Toshitoyo?*	年豊
	Toshitsugu	年次			Note: This image (in red) is probably not his signature; rather, it's likely his name written by Yoshitoshi.
	Toshitsuki	年月	Nengetsu (alternate reading of 年月)
	Inano Toshitsune	稲野 年恒	Takebe Takayuki Insai (胤斎), Kitaume/Hokubai (北梅), Kagasenjin (可雅賎人)	1859-1907	Born in Kaga Province, he started studying at the age of 15 with Yoshitoshi, and later was a pupil of Kōno Bairei in Kyōto. He later moved to Ōsaka, where he was a neo-ukiyo-e painter; he worked as an illustrator for newspapers (including the Osaka Mainchi Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun, after 1893), and also illustrated several kuchi-e. Some sources give his birth year as 1858, but this may be an issue with the end of year calendar mismatch.
	Toshiume	年楳
	Toshiyasu	年保	Kyōsai, Nempo (alternate reading of 年保)
	Arai Toshiyuki	年雪	Shujirō Nenshi (年雪), Yoshimune, Isshōsai	1863-1941	The youngest son of Utagawa Yoshimune I, he became a pupil of Yoshitoshi at the age of thirteen. After his father's death in 1880, he took the name of Utagawa Yoshimune II in 1882 (some sources give 1881, and say he became Yoshimine III), along with his father's gō Isshōsai. Note: This image (in red) is probably not his signature; rather, it's likely his name written by Yoshitoshi.
	Hattori Toshiyuki	服部 年之	Toshikore (alternate reading for 年之), Nenshi (alternate reading for 年之)		A student in the 1880s; he apparently produced no prints.
	Toshiyoshi	年芳?		fl. ca. 1890s	He had a personality conflict with Yoshitoshi, and left the studio and lived in the provinces for many years, before returning in the 1880s.

Sources

English

• Roger. S. Keyes, "Courage and Silence: A Study of the Life and Color Woodblock Prints of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 1839-1892", Cinncinnati, 1982

• Richard Lane, "Images from the Floating World", Chartwell Books, Secaucus, 1978
• Julia Meech-Pekarik, "The World of the Meiji Print: Impressions of a New Civilization", Weatherhill, New York, 1987
• Helen Merritt, "Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints: The Early Years", University of Hawaii, Honolulu, 1990
• Helen Merritt, Nanako Yamada, "Guide to Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints: 1900-1975", University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, 1992
• Helen Merritt, Nanako Yamada, "Woodblock Kuchi-E Prints: Reflections of Meiji Culture", University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, 2000
• Charlotte van Rappard-Boon, "The Age of Yoshitoshi: Japanese Prints From the Meiji and Taisho Periods (Catalog of the Collection of Japanese Prints, Rijksmuseum, Part V)", Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 1990
• Laurance P. Roberts, "A Dictionary of Japanese Artists: Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics, Prints, Lacquer", Weatherhill, New York, 1976
• James Self, Nobuko Hirose, "Japanese Art Signatures: A Handbook and Practical Guide", Charles E. Tuttle, Rutland, 1987

Japanese

• "原色浮世絵大百科 (Genshoku ukiyo-e dai hyakka jiten, Great Ukiyo-e Encyclopedia)", Taishukan Shoten, Tokyo, 1980-1982
• "浮世絵師便覧 (Ukiyo-e shi benran, Ukiyo-e Master's Manual)"