Hotspring fragrance

The fragrance of a hot spring (yunotoka or onsen kaori) provides the evocative subject of this undated bokashi print, the mineral-rich thermal waters whose steam carries a distinctive smell being one of the defining sensory experiences of Japanese onsen culture. This undated "Hotspring Fragrance" print is related to the 1930 autumn "Fragrance of the Hot-spring" and the numbered limited edition "Hot Springs Fragrance," suggesting that the onsen fragrance subject was one Shinsui returned to multiple times across different series and formats. The bokashi printing renders the steamy, soft-edged atmosphere of the thermal springs.