Early summer garden

Early summer in Japan corresponds to the period from late May through June, when gardens reach their fullest growth before the monsoon arrives. The print likely depicts a traditional Japanese garden — possibly featuring moss beds, ferns, maples in deep green, hydrangeas, or stone arrangements characteristic of the season. As a [sosaku-hanga](/glossary/sosaku-hanga) work, the print would be carved and printed by Mori himself, with [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) gradation employed to render the tonal variation of foliage and the soft light of the season. The composition would likely emphasize the garden's enclosed, contemplative character rather than expansive landscape views. Although Mori is best known for matsuri scenes and the Nihon Minzoku Zufu collaboration with Kawanishi Hide, his garden and seasonal subjects align with the sosaku-hanga interest in nature observation inherited from his teacher Onchi Koshiro. Early summer subjects were a long-standing concern in Japanese printmaking, here treated through the creative print movement's emphasis on personal observation rather than received decorative formulas.