Souvenirs of Travel, Second Series: Snow from a Clear Sky, Miyajima (Tabi miyage dainishu: Seiten no yuki, Miyajima)

Miyajima (Itsukushima Island) in Hiroshima Bay is among Japan's most depicted sites, and Hasui's treatment under snow and clear sky distinguishes it from the more common misty or rainy renditions. The title's emphasis on clear sky—seiten—positions the composition against an unclouded blue or pale wash, contrasting sharply with snow-laden surfaces. The iconic torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine, which stands in the tidal flats at the island's edge, or the shrine's vermillion corridors extending over the water, would anchor the design. Snow in Hasui's prints is almost always rendered by reserving bare washi, giving accumulation a luminous, textured quality. The print belongs to the Tabi miyage dainishu series and illustrates Hasui's ability to find fresh compositional angles at celebrated sites by selecting unusual atmospheric conditions rather than the canonical view.