Lake Biwa
by Koho Shoda
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Japanese Art Open Database
- Image courtesy of
- Japanese Art Open Database
Description
Lake Biwa, Japan's largest freshwater lake located in Shiga Prefecture near Kyoto, was celebrated in art through the tradition of the Eight Views of Omi — Japanese adaptations of the Chinese Eight Views of Xiaoxiang, depicting the lake under specific atmospheric conditions. This print from Shoda's Lake Biwa series likely captures one such canonical view: a broad expanse of still water, distant mountains shading into haze, and perhaps a boat or pine-fringed shore in the foreground. Shoda's atmospheric treatment of water and sky — drawing on both nihonga ink gradation and shin-hanga bokashi technique — would suit the misty, expansive quality of the lake, which shifts dramatically with season, time of day, and weather.
More Prints by Koho Shoda
More Landscapes Prints
Lake Kugushi in Wakasa Province (Wakasa Kugushiko), from the series Souvenirs of Travel I (Tabi miyage dai isshu)"
Wakasa Kugushiko
1920
Color woodblock print; oban
Autumn Maple Leaves at Takao, from the album Eight Views of Kyoto (Kyôto hakkei)
Woodblock print
The Beach at Kaiganji in Sanuki Province (Sanuki Kaiganji no hama), from the series "Collection of Views of Japan II, Kansai Edition (Nihon fukei shu II Kansai hen)"
1934
Color woodblock print; oban
Tea Kettle, section of a sheet from the series "Mirror of Stone Rubbings of Views of the Provinces" (Kohon meihitsu ishizuri kagami)
n.d.
Woodblock print; ishizuri-e, section of harimaze sheet
Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lake Biwa was created by Koho Shoda (庄田耕峰).
Lake Biwa depicts landscapes.