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In order to curate a stunning collection of Japanese art, one must know how to properly evaluate a print.

The history of photography in Japan begins during the Edo period. Introduced through the Dutch merchants that inhabited Dejima Island in Nagasaki Bay, the medium attracted an initially small, but intrigued audience. Following the Meiji Restoration, the popularity of photography surpassed that of woodblock prints.

From fierce samurai to legendary heroes, musha-e celebrate the Japanese warrior. Translating to "warrior pictures," this genre of ukiyo-e is marked by consistent fluidity between fact and fiction, truth and fable. As they conflate history, legend, literature and theater, these prints offer fantastic renderings of familiar characters from Japanese culture.

Taboo: Ukiyo-e and the Japanese Tattoo explores the verboten world of irezumi (Japanese tattoo) across history and medium. The works of ukiyo-e masters Kuniyoshi, Yoshitoshi, Kunisada and Kunichika celebrate the world of tattoo during the Edo and Meiji periods, while the original paintings and drawings of the acclaimed master of tebori and tattoo art, Horiyoshi III, offers a current interpretation of the centuries-old tradition.

Ronin Gallery is pleased to present a curated selection of seven of the most exciting ink artists in China today. Working in a rapidly changing society, each artist plants his or her roots deep within the spiritual, material and expressive past of ink, color and paper. From the ethereal to the vibrant, these artists present a contemporary understanding of a timeless spirit.

From 17th century to today, artists capture the quiet beauty of snow, the crisp blue of the winter sky, and the joy of cozying up as temperatures plummet. While winter brings artistic inspiration, it also heralds some exciting seasonal festivities! This week we'll look to some of the most popular winter customs and festivals in Japan.

From majestic landscapes to lively street scenes, Hiroshige's portrayal of the Japanese landscape not only illustrates the beauty of Japan during the four seasons, but also the dynamic life of the people who lived there. Ronin Gallery is pleased to present a collection of landscape prints selected from Hiroshige's most famous masterpiece series.

As one of Japan's most important creative minds, Takeda Hideo's work invariably speaks to audiences worldwide. As a satirist, cartoonist, printmaker, photographer, illustrator, comedian and provocateur, the only persistent qualities of Takeda's artistic output are flexibility, adaptation and surprise.

Earth Day is an annual global event observed on April 22, a day to reflect upon our planet's magnificence and to commit to doing our part to protect the environment.

Daryl Howard embodies the beauty of cross-cultural art. She artfully combines influences from her American upbringing in Texas with traditional woodblock printing techniques learned in Japan.

Quiet beneath a blanket of snow, Kinryuzan Temple rests at the end of the lane. The townspeople of Asakusa brave the cold, bundled up and huddled beneath umbrellas as they approach the temple.

With their unusually long and narrow dimensions, the hashira-e and kakemono formats created compositional challenges, yet also immense potential in an artist's approach to the image. The format itself was freeing and unique, allowing for compositions that brimmed with the grace and emotion of artfully employed negative space and vertical dynamism.

The second half of the 18th century was the golden age of innovation in ukiyo-e. During this period, woodblock print artists experimented with a variety new techniques and sizes. In Hashira-e: 18th Century Pillar Prints, Ronin Gallery considers the enormous versatility and groundbreaking innovation of the artists working in the hashira-e format during the golden age.

The specific tradition of kacho-e, which is most simply the depiction of flora and fauna, has a long visual and literary history. Imbued with metaphorical significance beyond their physical beauty, specific pairings of birds, flowers, and insects have formed the basis for a tradition that extends into the contemporary moment.

Hashiguchi Goyo is a critically important Japanese artist of the early 20th century. This rare retrospective of Goyo's work provides a unique opportunity to gain insight into the process and progression of a modern genius.

Photography first arrived in Japan during the Edo period when Dutch merchants inhabited Nagasaki Bay. Many early Japanese photographers went to study in Nagasaki and in 1854 Kawamoto Komin published Ensei-Kikijutsu, the first book in Japanese about photographic techniques.

In Van Gogh's 1887 painting The Bridge in the Rain (after Hiroshige's Ohashi Bridge) we are given a unique look inside the mind of one of the world's great artistic geniuses. By viewing this painting that is both uniquely his and also one of the most outwardly influenced works in his portfolio (he literally copied verbatim, although his own vehement style, from a Hiroshige woodblock print), we are let into the mind of Vincent the artist as well as Vincent the man.