Landscapes Prints (4044)
Landscapes are the most celebrated subject in Japanese woodblock printmaking, encompassing mountain vistas, coastal panoramas, river valleys, and rural scenes that have defined the genre for centuries. The tradition reached its first peak with Hokusai's "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji" (1831) and Hiroshige's "Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido" (1833-34), series that established the meisho-e (famous places) format as a cornerstone of ukiyo-e. Shin-hanga artists of the early twentieth century, particularly Kawase Hasui and Hiroshi Yoshida, reinvented the landscape tradition by combining Western atmospheric effects with Japanese compositional sensibilities. Hasui's snow scenes and twilight views of rural Japan became iconic, while Yoshida's mountain studies introduced plein-air observation techniques unprecedented in woodblock printing. Sosaku-hanga artists like Toshi Yoshida and Shiro Kasamatsu further expanded the landscape vocabulary through personal expression and experimental color palettes. Japanese landscape prints typically emphasize seasonal atmosphere, weather conditions, and the interplay between human presence and natural grandeur. The use of bokashi (graduated color) and multiple impression techniques creates depth and luminosity that distinguish woodblock landscapes from other printmaking traditions.
Artists Known for Landscapes
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
Pacific Ocean, Awa Province (Boshu Taikai), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
Boshu Taikai
1925
Color woodblock print; oban
Palace of the Queen Mother of the West (Seiōbo, Ch. Xiwangmu)
ca. 1779-94
No. 2: Ushiwakamaru Learns Swordsplay from the Tengu at Sojogatani on Mount Kurama (Nikai, Kuramayama Sojogatani ni oite Ushiwakamaru ijin yori kenpo o manabu), from the series "The Life of Yoshitsune (Yoshitsune ichidai zue)"
c. 1832/34
Color woodblock print; oban
View of Kabuki Theater from Matsuya (Ginza Matsuya yori Kabukiza), no. 3 from the series "Pictures of Ginza, First Series (Gashu Ginza dai isshu)"
1928
Color lithograph
![Mount Fuji on a Moonlit Night, Kawai Bridge (Tsukiyo no Fuji [Kawaibashi]), from the series "Selection of Views of the Tokaido (Tokaido fukei senshu)" by Kawase Hasui](https://www.artic.edu/iiif/2/d0960668-1e73-339a-b182-fb995a54bff0/full/843,/0/default.jpg)
Mount Fuji on a Moonlit Night, Kawai Bridge (Tsukiyo no Fuji [Kawaibashi]), from the series "Selection of Views of the Tokaido (Tokaido fukei senshu)"
1947
Color woodblock print; oban
Hoshifuri Pine at Zen'yoji Temple in Edogawa (Edogawa-ku Zen'yoji Hoshifuri matsu), from the series "One Hundred Views of Great Tokyo in the Showa Era (Showa dai Tokyo fukei hyaku zue hanga)"
1935
Color woodblock print; oban
Pine Beach at Miho (Miho no Matsubara), from the series "Selection of Views of the Tokaido (Tokaido fukei senshu)"
September 1931
Color woodblock print; oban
Seto, Bishu, from the series "Selection of Views of the Tokaido" (Tokaido fukei senshu, Bishu Seto)
March 1934
Color woodblock print
Setting Sun over Pines, Suzukawa Beach (Tokaido fukei senshu, Matsu no sekiyo (Suzukawa kaigan)), from the series "Selection of Views of the Tokaido"
1940
Color woodblock print
Distant View of Mitsukoshi Movie Theater in Shinjuku from the Sixth Floor of Hoteiya (Hoteiya rokkai kara Shinjuku Mitsukoshi Musashi no kan enbo zu), no. 1 from the series "Scenery of Shinjuku (Gashu Shinjuku fukei)"
1930
Color lithograph
Tokaido, Nissaka, from the series "Selection of Views of the Tokaido" (Tokaido fukei senshu, Tokaido Nissaka)
1942
Color woodblock print
Tokaido, Shimada, from the series "Selection of Views of the Tokaido" (Tokaido fukei senshu, Tokaido Shimada)
1942
Color woodblock print
Tokaido, Utsunoya, from the series "Selection of Views of the Tokaido (Tokaido fukei senshu)"
1947
Color woodblock print; oban
Evening Moon at Nakanoshima, Sapporo (Sapporo Nakanoshima no yuzuki), from the series "Collection of Views of Japan, Eastern Japan Edition (Nihon fukei shu higashi Nihon hen)"
March 1933
Color woodblock print; oban
Hachinohe-Same, from the series "Collection of Views of Japan, Eastern Japan Edition (Nihon fukei shu higashi Nihon hen)"
1933
Color woodblock print; oban
Shin Ohashi Bridge (Shin Ohashi), from the series "Twenty View of Tokyo (Tokyu nijukkei)"
1926
Color woodblock print; oban
Tsuta Hot Springs in Mutsu Province (Mutsu Tsuta onsen), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, First Series (Tabi miyage dai isshu)"
Mutsu Tsuta onsen
1919
Color woodblock print; oban
Nakabusa River Rapids
1926
Color woodblock print
Honjo in Izumo Province (Izumo Honjo)
August 1932
Color woodblock print; o-tanzaku
Akashi-cho after Rain (Akashi-cho no ugo), from the series "Twenty Views of Tokyo (Tokyo nijukkei)"
1928
Color woodblock print; oban
Beach Shed at Himi in Etchū Province
September 6, 1921
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Azuma Gorge (Azuma kyo)
1943
Color woodblock print
Twilight Snow at Uchikawa (Uchikawa bosetsu), from the series Eight Views of Kanazawa (Kanazawa hakkei)
20th century
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
View of Asakusa in Snow (Asakusa secchū no zu), from the series Famous Places of Edo (Edo meisho no uchi)
19th century
Ukiyo-e woodblock print; ink and color on paper
KANTEN, landscape in Okinawa
Woodblock print
Funatsu, from the series "Ten Views of Fuji"
1928
Color woodblock print
Evening at Tago Bay (Tago no ura no yube), from the series "Selection of Views of the Tokaido (Tokaido fukei senshu)"
1940
Color woodblock print; oban
Fujiyama-First Light of the Sun, from the series "Ten Views of Fuji"
1926
Color woodblock print
Hirosaki Castle, from the series "Eight Views of Cherry Blossoms"
1935
Color woodblock print
Sanuki Province
Stone and Brick Construction at Kyobashi
Yase no Sato
Kanbara: Evening Snow (Kanbara, yoru no yuki), from the series "Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido (Tokaido gojusan tsugi no uchi)," also known as the Hoeido Tokaido
c. 1833/34
Color woodblock print; oban
Landscape with Ricefields
1957
Woodblock print
Kanda Myojin Shrine Precent, from the series "Twenty Views of Tokyo" (Tokyo nijukei, Kanda Myojin keidai)
1926
Color woodblock print
Kinosaki in Tajima Province
1924
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
TWO BIRDS ON A BRANCH
View of Tokyo (Shore with Boats)
19th century
Ink on paper
Seaside Cottage, Himi, Etchu, from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Second Series" (Tabi miyage dai nishu, Hama shooku (Etchu Himi))
6 September 1921
Color woodblock print
Kiyomizu Hall, Ueno, from the series "Twenty Views of Tokyo" (Tokyo nijukei, Ueno Kiyomizudo)
1928
Color woodblock print
Army Headquarters Building
Fireworks at Ryogoku Bridge
Fujjikawa #38
Kude Beach in Wakasa Province (Wakasa Kude no hama), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, First Series (Tabi miyage dai isshu)"
1920
Color woodblock print; oban
Kyonghoe Hall, Kyongsong (Keijo Keikaro), from the series "Eight Views of Korea (Chosen hakkei)"
November 1939
Color woodblock print; oban
Matsubara Lake in Shinano Province (Shinshu Matsubarako)
1941
Color woodblock print; oban
Two Fish
19th century
Paper
View of Tokyo, Snow Scene
19th century
British Legation on the Shores of Yokohama Harbour
Great Bridge at Senju
Night Scene at Matsuchiyama
Scene of Soga Brothers
Moon at Umagome, from the series "Twenty Views of Tokyo" (Tokyo nijukei, Uragome no tsuki)
1930
Color woodblock print
Major General Odera Fighting Fiercely at the Hundred Foot Cliff in Weihaiwei (Ikaiei hyakusekigaisho ni Odera shosho funsen su)
1895
Color woodblock print; oban triptych
Tokyo Port Wild Bird Park (One Hundred Views of Tokyo, Message to the 21st Century)
東京百景 21世紀へのメッセージ
1989-99
Woodblock print, zinc anastic plate on paper
Kaga Sanchu, Taishô period?
Woodblock print
Related Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
Landscapes are the most celebrated subject in Japanese woodblock printmaking, encompassing mountain vistas, coastal panoramas, river valleys, and rural scenes that have defined the genre for centuries. The tradition reached its first peak with Hokusai's "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji" (1831) and Hiroshige's "Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido" (1833-34), series that established the meisho-e (famous places) format as a cornerstone of ukiyo-e.
Utagawa Hiroshige, Kawase Hasui, and Hiroshi Yoshida are among the artists most associated with landscapes in our collection. Browse the full list of artists who explored this subject above.
Hanga currently catalogues 4044 prints tagged with landscapes, spanning ukiyo-e, shin-hanga, and sōsaku-hanga traditions where applicable.