Ukiyo-e Cat Encyclopedia: All About Cats

This new exhibition is devoted to cats — stretching, scheming, napping, transforming, just as they’ve done for centuries — in the world of ukiyo-e.

What to expect

If you’ve ever relished the sight of a cat transforming into a bread shape or launching across the room like it’s seen a ghost, you’ll be in good company here. Ukiyo-e Cat Encyclopedia features 147 feline-focused woodblock prints from prominent artists like Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Utagawa Hiroshige, and Tsukioka Yoshitoshi.

This show captures cats being cats, whether lolling around a teahouse or taking on supernatural forms as shape-shifting yōkai. There are grumpy cats, lounging cats, cats playing shamisen, and monster cats with glowing eyes — all proof that feline weirdness is timeless.

Exhibition highlights

Cats in ukiyo-e may seem like a quirky niche to focus on, but we were delighted to see dozens of woodblock prints tackling the subject in unexpected ways. The exhibition is divided into four separate categories: how cats look, what it’s like to live with them, supernatural transformations, and omocha-e prints originally made to be toys for kids, often featuring anthropomorphized cats.

Besides numerous prints documenting cats frolicking between folds of kimono fabric, you’ll see genuinely spooky, ghostly renditions that draw on Japanese folklore.

The exhibition also includes prints of famed Edo-era Kabuki actors depicted as cats, a clever technique that artists deployed to circumvent censorship laws.

Also, if you send a photo of your own cat in, it may be featured on X.

One thing to note is that explanations in English are somewhat limited.

Schedule 2025

The exhibition is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing.

Aside from the exhibition, there are a few special events (in Japanese) to look forward to:

• A special rakugo performance will take place on Friday, July 18, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., with doors and exhibition access opening at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are ¥6,000 and limited to 100 people on a first-come, first-served basis.
• On Sunday, August 3 at 2 p.m., exhibition curator Toshihiko Tsukimoto will give a lecture titled “The Mystery of Rolling Cat Paintings”. The session is limited to 50 attendees, with a participation fee of ¥500 (exhibition ticket required).
• An interactive workshop will run on August 10 and 11 with sessions at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day. Led by clay artist Risa Takahashi, participants will create ukiyo-e-inspired cat figures. Each session accommodates 16 people, and the fee is ¥2,000 (plus exhibition entry). Children in second grade or younger must be accompanied by a guardian.
• For younger visitors, a free gallery talk titled “Pictures of Cats” will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 2. It’s open to junior high school students and younger, and no reservation is required.

Tickets 2025

Tickets for adults cost ¥1,400, or ¥1,200 if you purchase in advance. Entry is free for junior high school students and younger.

Purchase tickets online.

How to get there

At Shinjuku Station, hop on the Shōnan–Shinjuku Line. Alight at Yokohama Station and take the east exit. After about a 10-minute walk, you’ll arrive at Sogo Department Store. Perched on the 6th floor is the exhibition venue, the SOGO Museum of Art.