Imaibashi in Late Autumn, from the series "Eight Views of the Environs of Tokyo"

Imaibashi in Late Autumn, from the series Eight Views of the Environs of Tokyo, was designed by Shiro Kasamatsu in 1939 and stands as a strong example of [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga)'s continued engagement with the classical hakkei (eight views) format. The hakkei convention originated in Chinese poetry and painting and was widely adapted in Japanese [ukiyo-e](/glossary/ukiyo-e) from the eighteenth century onward, organising selected scenic locations around themes such as seasonal weather, time of day, and characteristic atmospheric effect. Kasamatsu uses this structure to assemble a set of views around the Tokyo periphery, of which Imaibashi, a bridge over a canal or river on the outskirts of the city, represents the late-autumn entry. The composition pairs the bridge's structure with bare trees and a low-set sky, exploiting muted ochres and slate blues to convey the season. As with most of his output, Kasamatsu created the design under the publishing direction of Watanabe Shozaburo, whose workshop carved and printed the edition. By 1939 the shin-hanga movement had reached technical maturity, and the print reflects that: precise keyblock cutting, careful registration across several colour blocks, and [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) gradations used to deepen the autumnal mood. The print is held in the Art Institute of Chicago and is part of broader institutional holdings that document Kasamatsu's interwar work.