Wisteria Blossoms at Kameido Shrine, Tokyo (Kameido Tenmangu)

Date:: 1936
Medium:: Color woodblock print
Format:: Oban
Publisher:: Watanabe Shozaburo
Edition:: Published by Watanabe Shozaburo
Source:: Art Institute of Chicago

Typical Price

Temple and shrine subjects form the backbone of Hasui's rural Japan repertoire — steady, consistently popular categories that hold value across all market conditions. Snow at temple subjects command the highest premiums (Snow at Tosho-gu Shrine in Ueno achieved $3,200 at Artelino; Saishoin Temple in the Snow reached $3,000). Standard pre-war temple scenes without snow trade between $1,000–$3,500. Pre-war lifetime editions bearing the Watanabe copyright seal (A through G types, 1926–1944) are the most desirable.

Pre-war lifetime edition (Watanabe seal): $1,000–$3,500
Postwar lifetime edition (J-seal): $400–$1,500
Posthumous/Heisei edition: $200–$600

Description

"Wisteria Blossoms at Kameido Shrine, Tokyo" is a [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) nature study by Kawase Hasui, created during the Taisho and Showa periods. This work belongs to the [kacho-e](/glossary/kacho-e) (bird-and-flower) tradition, one of the most celebrated genres in Japanese art.

Kawase Hasui brings characteristic sensitivity to this naturalistic subject, combining precise observation with poetic atmosphere. The composition balances the living subjects with their environment, creating a scene that feels both scientifically accurate and emotionally resonant.

The technical execution reveals the sophisticated printmaking tradition behind this image — from the precise registration of multiple color blocks to the subtle gradations that give depth and luminosity to the natural subjects.

This print represents Kawase Hasui's contribution to the shin-hanga tradition during the Taisho and Showa periods. As with all works by this artist, it reflects both individual artistic vision and the broader cultural moment in which it was created. For collectors and admirers of Japanese printmaking, it offers a window into the sophisticated aesthetic world that produced some of the most beloved images in art history.