About Hontō

Welcome to Hontō

Hontō is not a large company, but a one-person project that I run entirely by myself — from purchasing to shipping — driven by my love for Japanese art, martial arts and traditional tattoo culture.

Hontō stands for the authentic truth behind the books and prints we sell. 'Hontō' means "real" or "truth" in Japanese, conveying a sense of authenticity to our customers. This is particularly valuable as we specialize in traditional and authentic Japanese products, such as ukiyo-e prints.

Our name also plays with a clever pun; by splitting 'Hontō' into 'hon' (本) for book and 'to' (と) as a connector for 'and', we directly reference the products we offer - books and more. This not only makes our name easy to remember but also intrigues our customers with a nod to the deeper meaning of our collection.

Discover with us the true beauty and rich history of Japanese art and literature.