Rainy Night at Maekawa — 相州前川の雨

Rainy Night at Maekawa (相州前川の雨) depicts a nocturnal rain scene along the Maekawa River in Sagami Province, present-day Kanagawa Prefecture. This impression belongs to one of several printings of the composition produced across different periods, and variations between editions may include differences in ink density, bokashi gradation, and paper tone. The scene likely shows a riverbank or bridge at night with rain streaking diagonally through a dark sky and lamp or lantern light reflected across wet surfaces. Hasui's night rain subjects depend on the contrast between deep indigo and black grounds and isolated warm light sources — windows, lanterns, reflections — to convey nocturnal stillness interrupted only by precipitation. The oban-format sheet demonstrates the precision required to print rain lines in register across multiple color blocks.