The Japanese term for a privately issued ukiyo-e print made in a small edition for connoisseurs is surimono.
Surimono were privately commissioned prints rather than ordinary commercial publications. Poetry clubs, wealthy individuals, and social groups ordered them for exchange or presentation, especially for New Year celebrations and other occasions. Their private circulation allowed artists and printers to use exceptionally fine materials and techniques.
Many surimono combine elegant images with poems. The prints often feature embossed surfaces, metallic pigments, delicate color effects, and unusually careful carving. Because they were not primarily made for mass sale, their production could emphasize refinement over speed.
Surimono should not be confused with kakemono-e, a vertical hanging format, or chūban, a measurement category describing print dimensions. The term identifies the print’s private commissioning and circulation rather than its subject or physical orientation.