Takamatsu Castle in Sanuki

This composition depicts Takamatsu Castle, a rare coastal fortification in Kagawa Prefecture on Shikoku—one of the few Japanese castles built directly on the sea. Hasui likely captures the castle's stone walls and turrets reflected in the calm waters of the Seto Inland Sea, a setting that invites his characteristic treatment of still water as a mirror for atmosphere and light. The print belongs to his broader survey of historic Japanese architecture set within natural landscapes. [Bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) gradations in the sky and water create tonal depth across the scene. As a [meisho-e](/glossary/meisho-e) composition—a print depicting a famous place—it continues the tradition established by Hiroshige and Hokusai while reflecting the [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) movement's emphasis on seasonal light and emotional quietude over purely documentary record.