Makino Beach (707)

Makino Beach lies on the western shore of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, known for the long row of metasequoia trees lining its approach and the quiet pebble shore opening onto the lake. The print likely depicts the beach with its low horizon, the still expanse of water, and perhaps the silhouettes of the surrounding mountains or the pines along the shore. As a coastal scene it stands outside Tanaka's familiar register of thatched farmhouses and walled gardens, joining a smaller body of work in which he ventured into open landscape — fields, lakeshores, and rural roads. The flat horizon line and minimal vertical incident allowed him to work in a more reduced register than his architectural subjects required, with the textural variation between water, sand, and distant land carrying the image. The setting connects to his lifelong attention to the quieter corners of the Kansai region rather than to celebrated meisho.