Edo-neko Ukiyoe Nekotzukushi' by Shinichi Inagaki and Toshihiko Isao ￥1,995 Amazon.co.jp
This is the first book in Japan to exclusively collect 'ukiyoe' (woodblock print) images of cats. The volume features carefully selected works by the most notable wood block print artists of the Edo Period, including Hiroshige Utagawa, Kyosai Kawanabe, Kuniyoshi Utagawa and Harunobu Suzuki. An astoundingly wide variety of felines can be seen in the works, such as humorously adorable dancing cats, frightening ghost-like cats, cats playing with beautiful women and cats at work as if they are humans. Whether it's the Edo Period (1603-1868) or today, cats never seem to lose their free-spirited character. That said, this volume helps us learn more about life in the Edo period.
