Odawara
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Japanese Art Open Database
Description
This woodblock print presents a view of Odawara, the castle town that served as the last major stop on the Tokaido road before travelers began the difficult climb over the Hakone mountains. Komori Soseki renders the town with the measured calm of shin-hanga landscape printing, likely showing its coastline or the approaches to its famous castle. Odawara's strategic position made it a subject for printmakers since the Edo period, most notably Hiroshige. Soseki's interpretation reflects the quieter sensibility of the early Showa era, when shin-hanga artists tended to depict places emptied of crowds, focusing instead on architecture, natural setting, and the quality of light particular to a location.
More Prints by Komori Soseki
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
Odawara was created by Komori Soseki (小森漱石).
Odawara depicts landscapes, seascapes, and travel scenes.