Cherry Blossoms at Night, Koganei

This night scene at Koganei depicts the cherry-lined banks of the Tamagawa Josui canal during spring bloom, rendered under artificial or natural light against a darkened sky. The Koganei site was one of the most popular hanami destinations near Tokyo, and Hasui treated it in both daytime and nocturnal compositions. At night, the blossoms take on a luminous quality distinct from their appearance in daylight, the pale petals catching available light while the surrounding darkness intensifies their visual weight. Hasui's printers achieved this contrast through careful management of the dark ground colors — prussian blue, grey, and black built through multiple impressions — against the reserved white of the washi paper beneath the bloom areas. Figures beneath the trees, if present, would be silhouetted or minimally detailed, subordinate to the atmospheric character of the scene.