Kawase Hasui (1883-1957) | Kinosaki, Tajima | Taisho period, early 20th century

An onslaught of rain obscures the view of the canal at Kinosaki, a celebrated onsen resort in the former province of Tajima, present-day northern Hyogo Prefecture. A solitary figure with a parasol meanders through the quiet street – perhaps languid from a long sojourn in the hot springs – illuminated only by the light emanating from the ryokan flanking the canal. Towering mountains dissolve into the heavy, rain-laden sky, while the silhouettes of seven telegraph poles vertically punctuate the design.

Earlier ukiyo-e artists, notably Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), excelled at depicting rain scenes – often in a more stylised manner at the moment of a sudden downpour. Here, Hasui grounds his composition with a heightened sense of realism: the rain's effect on light, and its softening and blurring of reflections in the canal waters, are rendered with particular sensitivity.

This is the earliest state, with the publisher's seal (Hotei 'B') corresponding to the date of publication. A similar impression (with Hotei ‘B’ mark but without the series title) is in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession number 49.689, go to:

https://collections.mfa.org/objects/253652/kinosaki-tajima-from-the-series-souvenirs-of-travel-iii-t?ctx=ad696d35-3cf7-466a-91fa-973a3abc7006&idx=0