Azuma Gorge (Azuma-kyô)

Azuma-kyo (Azuma Gorge) in Fukushima Prefecture presented Hasui with some of the most dramatic topography in his landscape vocabulary: sheer cliffs of andesite and basalt folded with volcanic intrusion, the gorge floor threaded by a swift river and accessible via narrow paths. This composition, identified by its Japanese reading Azuma-kyo, may represent a companion view to another gorge print or a later revisitation of the same site. The rendering of rough stone surfaces—achieved through careful key-block carving that conveys texture without photographic detail—contrasts with the smoother treatment of flowing water and foliage. The seasonal setting appears to be either late summer or early autumn, when the surrounding forest retains green but begins to show the first hints of seasonal color change along the gorge rim.