September: Full Moon at Suwayama

Created in 1931, this woodblock print in ink and color on paper captures the full moon rising over Suwayama, a hill in central Kobe that offers views across the city to the harbor and Inland Sea. The September moon holds special significance in Japanese culture as the harvest moon, or chushu no meigetsu, traditionally the most beautiful full moon of the year and the occasion for tsukimi moon-viewing gatherings. Kawanishi combines this seasonal cultural moment with a specific Kobe location, grounding the universal experience of moonrise in his home city's geography. The nocturnal setting demands a palette of deep blues, silvers, and the warm glow of the moon itself, likely reflected in the water of the harbor below Suwayama's slopes. The 1931 date places this print in Kawanishi's early mature period.