Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Treasure of Japan, was among the most frequently depicted architectural subjects in Hasui's career. Known as Shirasagi-jo (White Heron Castle) for its brilliant plastered walls, the castle's multi-tiered donjon offered Hasui a vertical subject well suited to the [oban](/glossary/oban) format. This second version of the composition likely presents the castle from a slightly altered vantage point or under different seasonal or atmospheric conditions from the primary version — possibly with cherry blossoms in the foreground, or a winter sky heavy with cloud. In the [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) process, white was typically achieved by leaving the paper unpigmented, allowing the [washi](/glossary/washi)'s natural tone to read as the castle's luminous plaster surface.