This plate comes from Collected Illustrations of Japanese Toys, the album in which Kawasaki Kyōsen (1877–1942) set down the folk playthings of his country. It shows a spinning paper toy: a blue horse mounted at the centre of a red, ray-edged disc on a slender bamboo handle, the kind of pinwheel sold at fairs and temple stalls. A small painted figure rides alongside the shaft.
Kyōsen worked in the omocha-e tradition, the woodblock genre devoted to toys. The design was printed from carved blocks, one for each colour, and pressed in register onto paper. The drawing is plain and exact, recording the toy's shape and bright fairground colour as a faithful document rather than a decorative flourish.
On a wall the plate keeps a light, cheerful mood. Its red, blue and cream tones sit easily in a room, and the single object against open ground gives the eye somewhere to rest. It suits a child's room, a hallway, or a quiet shelf-height corner where small things are noticed . . . Read More >>
This plate comes from Collected Illustrations of Japanese Toys, the album in which Kawasaki Kyōsen (1877–1942) set down the folk playthings of his country. It shows a spinning paper toy: a blue horse mounted at the centre of a red, ray-edged disc on a slender bamboo handle, the kind of pinwheel sold at fairs and temple stalls. A small painted figure rides alongside the shaft.
Kyōsen worked in the omocha-e tradition, the woodblock genre devoted to toys. The design was printed from carved blocks, one for each colour, and pressed in register onto paper. The drawing is plain and exact, recording the toy's shape and bright fairground colour as a faithful document rather than a decorative flourish.
On a wall the plate keeps a light, cheerful mood. Its red, blue and cream tones sit easily in a room, and the single object against open ground gives the eye somewhere to rest. It suits a child's room, a hallway, or a quiet shelf-height corner where small things are noticed.
Each print is made to order on thick, smooth fine art paper, or framed behind shatter-resistant acrylic, or as a satin-coated cotton canvas. Choose the format that suits your wall.
Frequently asked questions
What toy is shown in this print?
A horse pinwheel — a paper spinner with a blue horse at the hub of a red rayed disc, turned on a bamboo handle. It is a fairground and festival toy of the kind sold at temple stalls.
Who made the original artwork?
Kawasaki Kyōsen (1877–1942), a Japanese artist who recorded traditional folk toys as woodblock prints in his album Collected Illustrations of Japanese Toys.
What is omocha-e?
Omocha-e means “toy pictures” — a woodblock genre that depicts children's playthings. Kyōsen used it to document Japan's folk toys before they were forgotten.
Where does this print look best?
In relaxed, informal spaces — a child's room, a nursery, a hallway or a kitchen — where its bright single object and open background feel friendly rather than formal.
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Japan historical period: Taisho 大正 (1912-1925)
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