Kajita Hanko (1870 - 1917)

Kajita Hanko, whose given name was Kajita Jōjirō, was born in Tokyo. He was the son of the famous smith Masaharu. He studied painting with the Shijō painter Nabeta Gyokuei and with the Maruyama-style painter Suzuki Kason. He started as a painter, but around the turn of the century he also turned to making illustrations, starting during the Sino-Japanese war (1894-5), and later as a kuchi-e artist. In the latter capacity he made many illustrations for the serialized novel Demon Gold.
His work is characterized by by its delicate lines and soft colours, and shows western influences.