Zojoji Temple in Shiba is Hasui's single most recognized subject. Non-snow versions of this temple (Great Gate at Shiba, pond views) remain highly collectible and trade at lower premiums than the iconic snow scene but still outperform most comparable Hasui subjects. Pre-war lifetime editions with the Watanabe seal attract the strongest bidding. Pre-war lifetime editions bearing the Watanabe copyright seal (A through G types, 1926–1944) are the most desirable.
Shiba Benten-ike, published in 1929, depicts the lotus and willow-fringed Benten pond in Shiba park — one of Tokyo's oldest public parks, where the Zojoji temple and Tokugawa mausolea stood amid wooded grounds near the waterfront — its still surface catching the reflection of surrounding trees. The Benten shrine on its small island in the pond center, accessible by a short wooden bridge, gave this subject a sacred-and-scenic combination typical of Tokyo's historic garden ponds. This print overlaps with the 1929 "The Pond at Benten Shrine in Shiba" oban-format version elsewhere in Hasui's catalog, suggesting the same site was depicted in multiple formats and editions.
Woodblock print
1928
Color lithograph
1930
Color lithograph
1948
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Shiba Benten ike was created by Kawase Hasui (川瀬巴水) in 1929.
Shiba Benten ike was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (1929).
Shiba Benten ike depicts urban scenes, temples & shrines, and rivers & lakes.
