Free Printable Omochae Toy Pictures – Charming Japanese Children’s Prints

Discover the delightful world of Õmochae: vintage Japanese toy prints from the late Edo and Meiji periods-colourful woodblock pictures made for children, full of animals, toys, and everyday objects.

Playful Prints from the Past: Japanese Õmochae

Before the days of picture books, screens, and plastic toys, Japanese children were entertained by bright and cheerful woodblock prints called Õmochae (おもちゃ絵), which literally means “toy pictures.”

These prints were like colourful picture sheets designed especially for kids. Popular during the late Edo and Meiji periods, Õmochae often showed everything from animals and dolls to everyday household tools, festivals, and scenes from life in Japan. Children could look at them, cut them out, or even play games based on the illustrations. Making them both fun and educational.

What Makes Õmochae So Charming

What’s so lovely about these prints is their playful simplicity. The colours are bold and lively, with charmingly stylised drawings that capture the imagination. Some Õmochae sets featured “all kinds” of things, like Birds Galore or All Sorts of Animals. In comparison, others showed games, story scenes, or toy catalogues from the past. What toys children played with, what animals they loved, and how art and play went hand in hand.

Japanese toy print of tool pinterest image

Free Vintage Õmochae Downloads

The Õmochae prints featured here are in the public domain and available for you to enjoy as high-resolution downloads. You can print them to frame, use them for crafts, or admire them as a piece of Japanese design history. Just click on the title above the Japanese toy print you want. A higher resolution image will open in a new tab for printing or saving.

Each one is a little snapshot of a child’s imagination from the past. Proof that creativity and play never go out of style.

Õmochae Prints 1-4, Tools, Plants & Firemen

Õmochae Print 1: Tools

A delightful woodblock illustration from late Edo–Meiji Japan showing all sorts of household objects, from chests and screens to teapots, parasols, and bowls. Designed as both play and learning material for children, it offered a colourful glimpse into everyday life, helping young viewers recognise the tools and furnishings that surrounded them.

woodblock illustration from late Edo–Meiji Japan showing all sorts of household objects, from chests and screens to teapots, pipes, and bowls.

Õmochae Print 2: Tools 2

Print 3: Plants

A charming print of assorted potted plants, flowers and bonsai trees. For more vintage Japanese potted plants prints, check out the Yokohama Nursery Catalogue and this collection of Ikebana prints.

Vintage Japanese toy prints of household potted plants

Print 4: Firefighting Props

Firefighting props (火消道具尽 / Hikeshi Dōgu-zukushi) is a fascinating glimpse into old Japan’s brave world of firemen. It’s packed with colourful depictions of ladders, buckets, lanterns, and those bold crested jackets the Edo fire brigades were famous for.

The Omochae print of firefighting props (火消道具尽 / Hikeshi Dōgu-zukushi) is a fascinating glimpse into old Japan’s brave world of firemen. It’s packed with colourful depictions of ladders, buckets, lanterns, and those bold crested jackets the Edo fire brigades were famous for

Print 5: All Kinds of Fireman Standards

The Õmochae print titled “纏つくし” (Matoi-zukushi) translates to “All Kinds of Firemen’s Standards.” It’s a lively and symbolic print celebrating the distinctive 纏 (matoi), the ornate standards or banners carried by Edo-period firefighters.

In old Japan, each fire brigade had its own matoi, a large decorated pole topped with a crest or emblem. During a fire, firefighters would raise the matoi high so people could see which brigade was on the scene. The Matoi-zukushi print shows a colourful collection of these crests; each one unique in design, like a flag of bravery.

The Omochae print It’s a lively and symbolic print celebrating the distinctive 纏 (matoi), the ornate standards or banners carried by Edo-period firefighters.

In old Japan, each fire brigade had its own matoi, a large decorated pole topped with a crest or emblem. During a fire, firefighters would raise the matoi high so people could see which brigade was on the scene. The Matoi-zukushi print shows a colourful collection of these crests — each one unique in design, like a flag of bravery.

Print 6: Firemen

Õmochae Prints 7-10 Animals

Print 7: Birds 1

Omochae vintage Japanese toy pirnt of assorted birds

Õmochae Print 8: Birds and Zodiac Animals

There is a collection of Japanese Zodiac animal art on the blog.

Omochae vintage Japanese toy pirnt of assorted birds and animals

Õmochae Print 9: Beasts

The Õmochae print titled “Beast Toys” (けだもの尽 / Kedamono-zukushi) is a lively woodblock illustration showing a whole parade of animals, both familiar and exotic. The animals are drawn with bold outlines and bright colours, giving them a toy-like quality that reflects how Õmochae blended learning and fun.

The Omochae print titled “Beast Toys” (けだもの尽 / Kedamono-zukushi) is a lively woodblock illustration showing a whole parade of animals—both familiar and exotic. Created for children during the late Edo to Meiji period, it served as an early kind of picture chart, teaching youngsters about different creatures through playful design. The animals are drawn with bold outlines and bright colours, giving them a toy-like quality that reflects how Omochae blended learning and fun.

Print 10: Horses

Japanese vintage toys print Omochae of horses

Assorted Õmochae Prints 11-16

Õmochae Print 11: Assorted Kite Symbols

assorted symbols vitnage Japanese toys prints

Print 12: Wheels & Carts

This is a lively and detailed woodblock print showing the many different types of wheels used in Japan during the late Edo to Meiji period. This includes everything from handcarts, pulls and windmills to early carriages and barrows.

It’s a lively and detailed woodblock print showing the many different types of wheeled transport used in Japan during the late Edo to Meiji period — everything from handcarts and palanquins to early carriages and festival floats.

Print 13: Children at Play

The Õmochae print titled “道中豊年子供あそび” (Dōchū Hōnen Kodomo Asobi) can be translated as “Children’s Play on a Prosperous Journey.” It’s a charming woodblock print that captures the cheerful world of children at play during a festival or countryside journey in a bountiful year.

Oshomae Print 14: Children at Play 2

Print 15: Children at Play 3

Print 16: All Kinds of Sumo Wrestlers

0shomae print of nine sumo wrestlers vintage Japanese toy print

Other Vintage Japanese Prints

If you’ve enjoyed these õmochae toy prints, don’t forget to explore even more vintage Japanese art treasure troves on Picture Box Blue. You’ll find the elegant collection of Shin Bijutsukai Art Prints, the beautiful array of Prints from Bijutsu Sekai, and the educational Japanese Nature Charts. Each of these offers a unique window into Japan’s rich artistic heritage and all are free to download and enjoy.

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