Hazy night at Miyajima - Oboroyo (Miyajima)

This fourth printing of the Oboroyo Miyajima composition represents the continued commercial demand for Hasui's treatment of Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island. The famous O-torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine, one of Japan's most recognized architectural landmarks, appears reflected in the still tidal waters during an oboroyo—a softly lit, overcast night when moonlight diffuses through cloud or mist. Over successive print runs, the cherry-wood carving blocks accumulate use that can subtly soften cut lines in fine detail areas such as the gate's cross-beam joints and the distant shrine buildings. This version's sky and water gradations, achieved through the bokashi technique of blending wet ink at the block's edge, would have required the printer to maintain precise moisture levels in the washi to prevent uneven absorption. The near-symmetrical reflection of the torii in the still water creates the bilateral composition common to Hasui's shrine imagery.