The Inokashira Benten Shrine in Snow (Shatô no yuki)

Kawase Hasui's Inokashira Benten Shrine in Snow (Shatō no yuki) depicts the Benzaiten shrine pavilion situated on an island within the pond of Inokashira Park in the Musashino area west of Tokyo. The shrine, dedicated to the goddess Benzaiten, is reached by a short bridge over the pond; its vermilion-lacquered structure provides a characteristic warm accent against winter's reduced palette. Hasui's snow scenes are among the technically demanding works in the shin-hanga tradition, exploiting the capacity of washi to accept layered pigments in soft graduated tones. The composition likely positions the shrine as a warm-toned focal point within a field of white and grey—the pond's surface frozen or snow-covered, surrounding trees reduced to bare ink-dark branches. Thick pigment deposits applied to rooftops suggest accumulated snow, while the graduated bokashi of the overcast or night sky behind the shrine structure required careful block preparation. The print belongs to a category of snow scenes that formed the core of Hasui's popular reputation.