TEZUKA Osamu is acknowledged as an artistic master, and is revered as the figurehead of the manga and anime industries in Japan. In the West he is best known for Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion which were serialised internationally for television in the 1960s.

Three key trends in Japanese art history beginning with the advent of the Meiji period in 1868 and extending through the 1980s are represented in Modern Japanese Prints: 1868-1989, on view through April 15, 2007, at Carnegie Museum of Art.

With the establishment of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) as the major political and commercial center of Japan in the 17th century, a new type of imagery was developed, known as ukiyo-e. Masters of the genre explored the daily activities of the city's inhabitants and detailed the stylish preoccupations of the "Floating World," the theaters and the brothels of the area.

From traditional kimono to trendy fashion, classical origami art to high-tech robot design, the Japanese culture, both past and present, continues to intrigue the American public. Washington area residents and visitors can learn more about this fascinating culture in the public programs series "Japan WOW! From Traditions to Trends" presented by The Smithsonian Associates March 31 to early June.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art will present an exhibition of works by the 18h century Japanese master of ink painting Ike Taiga (1723-1776) and his wife Tokuyama Gyokuran (1727-1784). The first exhibition in the United States to focus on Taiga, it will bring together key works from Japanese and Western collections and provide an in-depth look at the major Japanese artist of the 18th century.