Uploaded May 2016 | Updated September 2026, 22 hours ago
This video from Tokyo woodblock printmaker Dave Bull tells the story of his experiences with one of the old carvers - the late Mr. Susumu Ito. It's a combination of reminiscences and video clips from TV programs of the 1990's.
The meetings with Ito-san were very important for Dave, and it was thus especially gratifying to him when Ito-san's family got in touch recently ... bringing with them a few interesting items ...
The URL referenced in the video - showing Ito-san's carving knife - is here:
woodblock.com/encyclopedia/entries/014_06/014_06.html
And a small story about him (from 1995) is on Dave's website here:
woodblock.com/encyclopedia/entries/008_15/008_15.html
A 'sequel' to this video has been published - including content from the video tapes mentioned:
youtube.com/watch?v=R9i0Yq89pa0
***
We now have a Patreon page for support of these videos:
patreon.com/mokuhankan
People have asked for information on similar videos on this channel, and a few more of these 'rambles' can be found here:
youtube.com/watch?v=2L3M7isGQbg
youtube.com/watch?v=4Kx07rOvD-o
youtube.com/watch?v=RMIazMit6Ms
0:00 1980s Introduction and Meeting Matsuzaki-san
5:09 1992 First Meeting with Ito-san
9:06 1998 Meeting Ito-san Again
11:13 Losing Ito-san
13:14 A Wonderful Gift
14:59 'One day, I will be able to use this knife'
22:23 'We're gonna get to the good part now'
26:12 'One last episode...'
This video from Tokyo woodblock printmaker Dave Bull tells the story of his experiences with one of the old carvers - the late Mr. Susumu Ito. It's a combination of reminiscences and video clips from TV programs of the 1990's.
The meetings with Ito-san were very important for Dave, and it was thus especially gratifying to him when Ito-san's family got in touch recently ... bringing with them a few interesting items ...
The URL referenced in the video - showing Ito-san's carving knife - is here:
woodblock.com/encyclopedia/entries/014_06/014_06.html
And a small story about him (from 1995) is on Dave's website here:
woodblock.com/encyclopedia/entries/008_15/008_15.html
A 'sequel' to this video has been published - including content from the video tapes mentioned:
youtube.com/watch?v=R9i0Yq89pa0
***
We now have a Patreon page for support of these videos:
patreon.com/mokuhankan
People have asked for information on similar videos on this channel, and a few more of these 'rambles' can be found here:
youtube.com/watch?v=2L3M7isGQbg
youtube.com/watch?v=4Kx07rOvD-o
youtube.com/watch?v=RMIazMit6Ms
0:00 1980s Introduction and Meeting Matsuzaki-san
5:09 1992 First Meeting with Ito-san
9:06 1998 Meeting Ito-san Again
11:13 Losing Ito-san
13:14 A Wonderful Gift
14:59 'One day, I will be able to use this knife'
22:23 'We're gonna get to the good part now'
26:12 'One last episode...'









![Woodblock Printing Process ... in 3-D spatial audio
In this video, Tokyo-based woodblock printmaker Dave Bull shows the entire process of making a batch of prints (8 sheets) from blank paper to finished print - in POV style (from the printers Point Of View) - with each of the colour impressions happening in an uncut, unedited, uninterrupted flow. The viewers can get a very good feeling for the rhythm of the process, and can see just how the pigment/paste balance is controlled along the way.
As a kind of bonus, the entire video was recorded using binaural microphones embedded in Daves ears - you hear _exactly_ what he heard, at every step of the way. (Use headphones!) The recording of each segment was done starting around 3:00 am, when Asakusa is as quiet as possible, but even then, there are residual sounds interrupting along the way (the occasional truck passing by, some rainfall for a few of the impressions, and unavoidably a large air conditioner on a building a few blocks away …)
The print used for this demonstration is ‘The Demon King’, which was designed for us by Jed Henry, creator of the famous Ukiyo-e Heroes prints. It is available as part of our Portraits Set #1’ subscription series; information here: https://mokuhankan.com/subscriptions/portraits.html
[Note: there is no narration included in this video, in an attempt to bring you into the undisturbed world of a printers work. If there is enough interest, we could perhaps upload a second cut of this video, with Dave explaining things along the way ...]
The Mokuhankan website:
https://mokuhankan.com/index.html
Jed Henry’s Ukiyo-e Heroes:
https://ukiyoeheroes.com
Our Twitch stream (live three times a week):
https://www.twitch.com/japaneseprintmaking
The Mokuhankan Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/mokuhankan Woodblock Printing Process ... in 3-D spatial audio](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tGnd5w_a2q8/mqdefault.jpg)
