Fukeiga

Fukeiga (landscape pictures) encompasses all Japanese prints depicting natural scenery and outdoor views, whether of specific named locations (meisho-e) or generic and idealized landscapes. While meisho-e focuses on recognized famous places, fukeiga includes any landscape subject — anonymous rivers, unnamed mountains, general rural or coastal scenes, and atmospheric studies of weather and light.

The distinction between fukeiga and meisho-e is fluid. Many shin-hanga landscape prints depict real locations that could be classified as meisho-e, but the artist's emphasis on atmosphere and mood rather than topographic accuracy gives them a fukeiga sensibility. Kawase Hasui's work exemplifies this overlap — while many of his prints are titled with specific place names, their emotional impact comes from atmospheric effects (rain, snow, moonlight, mist) rather than geographic documentation.

In shin-hanga, fukeiga was the dominant category, driven by the movement's emphasis on atmospheric beauty and the emotional resonance of natural scenery. The landscapes of Hasui, Hiroshi Yoshida, Tsuchiya Koitsu, and Shiro Kasamatsu represent the finest achievements of the movement and are the most widely collected category of twentieth-century Japanese prints. The fukeiga tradition in Japanese printmaking continues to inspire contemporary artists worldwide.