Ichimura Mamoru stands in front of his museum in Kyoto.
This small family-run museum set in an old wooden machiya townhouse is the smallestukiyo-emuseum in the world.
This unique art form first emerged in late sixteenth century, and usually depicted scenes from everyday life.
Ichimura Mamoru started training inukiyo-eat a very young age from his grandfather.
Mamoru took over his grandfathermore than fifty years ago.
In the early 2000s he opened the museum so that spread the word about this wonderful dying art.
At first a design is made on paper, which is then carved into wooden blocks.
Ichimura Mamoru performs all the three rolesthat of the artist, the carver and the printerall by himself.
The original sign was in Japanese.
It was so honest that a tourist helped him translate it into Englishback in 2003.
Since then, Mamorus museum has been enjoying a small amount of fame.
