Lecture: What Was the Floating World in Japanese Art

Come learn about the historical context of the Floating World (Ukiyoe) and explore its rich world of popular cultural and artistic forms! The Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1868) was established to bring peace after nearly a century of civil war. Discipline and order were the paramount objectives. Yet the shogunate fully understood that people needed places of escape and alterity—spaces of urban delight. These came to be known as the Floating World (ukiyoe), they were vibrant sites of a wealth of popular cultural and artistic forms.

Lecture: What Was the Floating World in Japanese Art

Come learn about the historical context of the Floating World (Ukiyoe) and explore its rich world of popular cultural and artistic forms!

The Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1868) was established to bring peace after nearly a century of civil war. Discipline and order were the paramount objectives. Yet the shogunate fully understood that people needed places of escape and alterity—spaces of urban delight. These came to be known as the Floating World (ukiyoe), they were vibrant sites of a wealth of popular cultural and artistic forms.

 

Date | 24 Feb 2026 (TUE), 18:15 -19:30

Venue | MWT3, G/F, Meng Wah Complex, Main Campus, The University of Hong Kong

Speaker | Prof. Timon Screech (Professor, International Research Center for Japanese Studies, Nichibunken)

Moderator | Prof. Caitlin Karyadi (Assistant Professor, Department of Art History, The University of Hong Kong)

Language: English

Registration link | https://hku.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bvFNwaTyrCP7v4G

Enquiry | art.history@hku.hk

 

The events are supported by HKBU Research Committee, International Activities Programme (IAP)25/26.