Tateyama, Bitsu Mountains (Tateyama Bessan), from the series Twelve Themes from the Japan Alps (Nihon Arupusu jûnidai), Shôwa period, dated 1926

From the 1926 series Twelve Themes from the Japan Alps (Nihon Arupusu jūnidai), this print depicts Tateyama in the Hida Mountains — one of Japan's three sacred peaks — as seen from the Besso area. Yoshida's alpine subjects demanded precise rendering of geological form: the ridgeline of Tateyama's volcanic massif, snow persisting in couloirs and shadow zones, and the compressed mid-ground terrain typical of high-mountain views. His Western oil painting background informed the structured tonal modeling of rock faces, rendered through carefully separated color blocks rather than line alone. The Japan Alps series represents some of his most technically demanding work, with complex registration requirements for snow, rock, and sky. The oban format provided sufficient field for the vertical drama of alpine composition.