Overview: Seasons of Life and Nature in Hiki, Japan is a woodblock print collection by washi paper artist Richard Flavin, depicting organic farming and everyday life in the Hiki region of Saitama Prefecture. Through scenes such as gathering fallen leaves, planting rice together, harvesting and sun-drying rice, and pounding rice cakes for the New Year, the collection gently portrays rural life shaped by the rhythms of the seasons. These prints capture a way of life in which people and nature have long supported one another—an original landscape of Japanese daily life, expressed with warmth and quiet observation.
Price:USD 8.00
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Contents
- 1.Woodblock Print Collection (PDF, full color,14 pages,12 prints representing the four seasons)
- 2.Explanatory & Background Text (PDF,8 pages, Detailed explanations of each work and its cultural context)
- Released in: 1994
- Format: PDF files
- Delivery: Digital download
- Price:USD 8.00
Complete List of Prints (January–December)
- PDF print collection (12 prints from January to December)
•January: Gathering fallen leaves in a deciduous forest
•February: The bush warbler announces the coming of spring
•March: Horsetail and mugwort begin to sprout
•April: The season when cabbage butterflies fall in love
•May: Weeding the barley fields
•June: Villagers gathering to plant rice together
•July: Corn, a gift of summer
•August: Watermelon and grasshopper
•September: Offering food to the moon (Moon Viewing)
•October: Harvesting rice and drying it in the sun
•November: Hanging radishes under the eaves
•December: Pounding rice cakes for the New
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About This Work
Born in Boston, USA, Richard Flavin was deeply drawn to Japanese culture, washi paper, and woodblock printing.
He settled in Ogawa Town, where he has continued his artistic practice.
Because of his perspective as an outsider, Flavin is able to reveal values often overlooked by those who live within the culture—showing the quiet dignity of daily life rooted in agriculture and nature.
This collection conveys a vision of sustainable living through organic farming, offering gentle insights into how people once lived closely with the land.
About the Artist Richard Flavin
- Born in Boston, USA
- Moved to Japan, inspired by Japanese culture and washi paper
- Based in Ogawa Town, Saitama Prefecture
- The essence of Japanese life and nature captured
from a foreigner's perspective
Recommended For
- Those interested in rural Japan and traditional ways of life
- Readers interested in organic farming, satoyama landscapes, and sustainability
- Art lovers seeking quiet, contemplative works
- People who value regional culture and local histories
- Anyone looking for a print collection to enjoy slowly and thoughtfully
This work depicts the "ordinary,
irreplaceable everyday life" that is gradually disappearing.
I hope that through these prints,
you can feel the richness of living in harmony with nature.
- Price:USD 8.00
-Credit card only
-After paying by credit card, you will be redirected to a page where you can download this product.
Printmaking: Richard Flavin
Edited & Published by: Hiki-dashi LLC
Organic Agriculture Series – Seasons of Organic Vegetables in Hiki, Japan