Hori River, Matsue

Hori River, Matsue depicts the canal that runs through the castle town of Matsue in Shimane Prefecture, a city celebrated for its well-preserved Edo-period waterways. The Hori River encircles Matsue Castle and flows through the town's historic district, lined with samurai residences, merchant houses, and stone embankments that create one of the most picturesque urban waterways in Japan. Ido Masao renders this scene in the [oban](/glossary/oban) woodblock format, capturing the relationship between water, architecture, and vegetation that gives Matsue its distinctive character. The canal's calm surface reflects the buildings and trees along its banks, a doubling effect that the woodblock medium can suggest through mirrored color areas and the subtle shimmer of ink on paper. Matsue is also known as the city beloved by Lafcadio Hearn, adding literary resonance to its visual appeal.