Miyajima

Miyajima, the sacred island in Hiroshima Bay, appears in this woodblock print — one of Japan's most celebrated scenic spots. The island is best known for the great torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine, which appears to float on the water at high tide. Countless Japanese artists have depicted this site, from Hiroshige to Hasui, making it one of the most frequently printed landscapes in the woodblock tradition. Arai's interpretation joins this lineage while reflecting the particular sensibilities of his era, when the shin-hanga movement was reviving interest in landscape subjects rendered with traditional techniques but contemporary compositional awareness. The island's combination of Shinto architecture, ancient forests, and tidal waters offered rich material for printmakers working in layered color.