Three District Exhibition Commemoration- Okayama — 岡山博

This third print in Hasui's Okayama commemorative series was produced for a regional industrial or agricultural exposition in western Honshū, likely one of the San'yō-area exhibitions that brought together products and cultural materials from multiple prefectures. Okayama Prefecture contains a range of visually distinct scenery: the Asahi River flowing through the castle town, the black tenshu of Okayama Castle (Ujō), the historic strolling garden Kōrakuen, and views toward the Seto Inland Sea. A third version within the series suggests either a third distinct scenic view or an alternate atmospheric interpretation of a previously treated subject, commissioned to meet demand following the exhibition. Commemorative prints occupied a hybrid position between art object and souvenir, produced in limited quantities for distribution within the exhibition context. Hasui's signature and the Watanabe publishing house seal authenticate these prints as products of the established shin-hanga production system rather than anonymous commercial work.