Oda Kazuma

Kazuma Oda was a Japanese painter, lithographer, and woodblock print artist active during the early twentieth century. Born in Tokyo, Oda received broad artistic training that combined both Japanese and Western influences. He studied Western-style painting under Kiyoo Kawamura while also mastering lithography through instruction from his brother and printmaker Masajiro Kaneko. Oda became closely associated with the Sōsaku-hanga movement, which emphasized the artist’s direct involvement in designing, carving, and printing works.

Although best known for his role in creative printmaking, Oda also collaborated with influential publisher Shōzaburō Watanabe, producing designs connected to the Shin-hanga tradition during the 1920s. He played an important role in modern Japanese print culture as a founding member of several major artistic organizations, including the Japan Creative Print Association and the Japan Print Association. Deeply interested in the history of Japanese art, Oda also wrote scholarly books on ukiyo-e, helping preserve and promote appreciation for traditional Japanese printmaking.