A work of art that reproduces 100 woodblock prints of Edo by artist Hiroshige

Without question, Hiroshige: One Hundred Famous Views of Edo is the bookiest book I own. It is a museum-quality artifact, which in a few more years will cease to be made, or at least made affordably. It is a work of art that reproduces the famous 100 Japanese woodblock prints that the artist Hiroshige created of Edo.

The reproductions are taken from one of the best surviving sets of the series (each image was printed differently, and often worse, over time). Each page is printed on one side of the paper only, so that each page looks as if it is an actual woodblock print (suitable for framing). These fan-folded pages are then sewn together into a block. The block of pages sits in a free-standing binder, itself covered in stunning Japanese pattern prints, all secured with traditional bone-style clasps. The whole package is a work of exquisite craftsmanship, issued by Taschen. It radiates a joy that cannot be experienced with an e-book or online. This is a book that needs to be on paper, and now on paper glows with a halo of excellence.

See sample pages of Hiroshige: One Hundred Famous Views of Edo at Wink.