Mt Unzen in Hizen Province — 雲仙岳

Mt Unzen in Hizen Province depicts the volcanic mountain complex in what is now Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu. Unzen, an active volcanic group rising to over 1,400 meters, is famous for its jigoku, or "hells," areas of intense geothermal activity where sulfurous steam erupts from the earth and boiling mud pools bubble among barren, mineral-stained rocks.

Shuho's oban woodblock print renders this dramatic geological landscape with attention to the unique visual qualities that volcanic terrain produces: the stark contrast between lush lower slopes and the blasted, fuming summit areas; the mineral-tinted pools and streams; and the ever-present columns of steam rising against the sky. The Hizen Province designation places this work within the traditional system of geographic naming, though by Shuho's time the modern prefectural system had long replaced the old provincial boundaries. The print connects to the Japanese tradition of depicting meisho, famous scenic locations.