Morning of Cape Inubo

Cape Inubo (Inubosaki), the rocky headland at the northeastern tip of Chiba Prefecture where the Pacific surf breaks against dark basalt formations, was among Hasui's most revisited subjects. This third variant in the series of Cape Inubo morning prints reflects the sustained fascination the location held for him across different seasons and lighting conditions. The composition presumably emphasizes the dramatic coastal topography — sheer cliffs, crashing surf, and the wide Pacific horizon — framed within a morning palette of cool blues and the early warmth of low-angled light. Successive editions or design variants of the same subject were common in Hasui's practice, each adjusting color, compositional emphasis, or atmospheric tone to capture a slightly different hour or season at the site. The Inubo lighthouse, completed in 1874 as one of the first Western-style lighthouses in Japan, may appear as a vertical accent against the open sky, a motif that recurs in several Hasui prints of this promontory.