Bell Tower in Okayama

Depicting the bell tower (kanetuki-dō) in Okayama, this print records a piece of traditional urban infrastructure that was disappearing from Japanese cities during the rapid modernization of the Meiji and Taisho eras. Bell towers announced the hours and marked civic events in the Edo-period city; by the time Hasui traveled to Okayama, such structures had become historical remnants. Hasui's interest in them reflects the shin-hanga movement's sustained attention to vanishing aspects of Japanese vernacular culture. The composition likely frames the timber structure against an open sky with graduated bokashi gradations above, while surrounding architecture or vegetation establishes the tower's position within the town. The print demonstrates Hasui's ability to find compositional strength in modest subjects, investing an unadorned wooden building with atmospheric weight through the careful management of light, sky tone, and scale.