Echigo Kashiwazaki, Niigata

Echigo Kashiwazaki, Niigata depicts the coastal town of Kashiwazaki in Niigata Prefecture, using the old provincial name Echigo in the title — a deliberate archaism common in shin-hanga, evoking the landscape tradition of Hokusai and Hiroshige. Kashiwazaki sits on the Sea of Japan and is associated with snow country, fishing villages, and the rugged winter coastline that defines Niigata's identity. Kasamatsu's print likely renders the town under snow or rain, his characteristic atmospheric subjects, with bokashi handling the muted gradations of an overcast sky and weighted gray sea. The keyblock would carry the architectural detail of low wooden buildings, while flat color blocks register the snow-covered ground and tiled roofs. The subject reflects the shin-hanga interest in regional Japan beyond the urban centers — a project shared with his fellow Kiyokata pupil Kawase Hasui, who travelled extensively in Niigata and produced numerous Echigo subjects. Kasamatsu's regional landscapes tend toward stillness rather than incident, focusing on weather and place rather than figures.