Kegon Waterfall in Nikko

This rendering of Kegon Falls at Nikko focuses on the cascade as it exits the Chuzenji lakebed and plunges into the deep gorge below. Among Japan's designated three great waterfalls, Kegon holds particular significance in the Nikko pilgrimage landscape, and Hasui's repeated treatment of the subject reflects both its touristic importance and its pictorial challenge. The near-vertical composition required by such a subject was well suited to the oban format, allowing the full length of the 97-meter drop to be implied if not fully depicted within the sheet. Surrounding cliff walls, coated with moss and draped with deciduous and evergreen growth, provide a dark surround that intensifies the whiteness of the falling water. Hasui likely sketched the site in person as part of his documented travels through Tochigi Prefecture. The bokashi across the sky and the spray-filled basin below would have required careful registration across multiple color blocks by the Watanabe studio's printers.