Hanga

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

Mt Unzen in Hizen Province — 雲仙岳 by Yamakawa Shuho

Mt Unzen in Hizen Province — 雲仙岳

Woodblock print

Sunset in Tokyo (One Hundred Views of Tokyo, Message to the 21st Century 東京百景 21世紀へのメッセジ) by Hideo Hagiwara

Sunset in Tokyo (One Hundred Views of Tokyo, Message to the 21st Century 東京百景 21世紀へのメッセジ)

1989-99

Woodblock print

The Temple of the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji), from the series "Famous Places in Kyoto (Kyoto meisho no uchi)" by Utagawa Hiroshige

The Temple of the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji), from the series "Famous Places in Kyoto (Kyoto meisho no uchi)"

c. 1834

Color woodblock print; oban

Harvard University, Shôwa period, 1975 by Akira Kurosaki

Harvard University, Shôwa period, 1975

Woodblock print

Distant View of Mount Matsuchi from the Sumida River by Kobayashi Kiyochika

Distant View of Mount Matsuchi from the Sumida River

1884

Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper

View of Fuji from Izumo by Yamamura Toyonari

View of Fuji from Izumo

Woodblock print

Fuji from the Pass of Mishima, Koshu Province by Katsushika Hokusai

Fuji from the Pass of Mishima, Koshu Province

1760–1849

color woodblock print

Hozu Rapids in Early Summer by Miki Suizan

Hozu Rapids in Early Summer

Woodblock print

The Floating Pavilion at Katada (Katada Ukimido), from the series "Eight Views of Omi (Omi hakkei)" by Ito Shinsui

The Floating Pavilion at Katada (Katada Ukimido), from the series "Eight Views of Omi (Omi hakkei)"

May 1918

Color woodblock print

Distant View of Mt. Tateyama from Mt. Hakuba by Ito Takashi

Distant View of Mt. Tateyama from Mt. Hakuba

1932

Color woodblock print

Cattle Merchants by Utagawa Hiroshige

Cattle Merchants

Fujida - Tokaido by Utagawa Hiroshige

Fujida - Tokaido

Long Scissor-tailed Bird on Bamboo Shoot by Utagawa Hiroshige

Long Scissor-tailed Bird on Bamboo Shoot

Kandagawa, Inokashira (One Hundred Views of Tokyo, Message to the 21st Century 東京百景 21世紀へのメッセジ) by Ayomi Yoshida

Kandagawa, Inokashira (One Hundred Views of Tokyo, Message to the 21st Century 東京百景 21世紀へのメッセジ)

1989-99

Color woodblock print

Black night-Ginza (One Hundred Views of Tokyo, Message to the 21st Century 東京百景 21世紀へのメッセジ) by Yoshisuke Funasaka

Black night-Ginza (One Hundred Views of Tokyo, Message to the 21st Century 東京百景 21世紀へのメッセジ)

1989-99

Nissaka, Sayo Mt. Pass #26 by Utagawa Hiroshige

Nissaka, Sayo Mt. Pass #26

Summer Moon at Miyajima, from the series "Collection of Views of Japan" by Tsuchiya Koitsu

Summer Moon at Miyajima, from the series "Collection of Views of Japan"

1936

Color woodblock print

Edo Bridge in Front of Post Office by Utagawa Hiroshige

Edo Bridge in Front of Post Office

Forty-Seven Ronin Theme, Act XI, Sixth Episode. Fuji-Hiko Series by Utagawa Hiroshige

Forty-Seven Ronin Theme, Act XI, Sixth Episode. Fuji-Hiko Series

Ten Views of Tokyo, AKASAKA MITSUKE by Noël Nouët

Ten Views of Tokyo, AKASAKA MITSUKE

Woodblock print

Landscape of Susaki (Susaki no kei), from the series "Views of Tokyo (Tokyo fukei)" by Oda Kazuma

Landscape of Susaki (Susaki no kei), from the series "Views of Tokyo (Tokyo fukei)"

1916

Lithograph on paper

Spring Snow at Hamacho Park in Nihonbashi (Nihonbashi-ku Hamacho koen shunsetsu) from the series "One Hundred Views of Great Tokyo in the Showa Era (Showa dai Tokyo fukei hyaku zue hanga)" by Kishio Koizumi

Spring Snow at Hamacho Park in Nihonbashi (Nihonbashi-ku Hamacho koen shunsetsu) from the series "One Hundred Views of Great Tokyo in the Showa Era (Showa dai Tokyo fukei hyaku zue hanga)"

1940

Color woodblock print; oban

Early Spring in the Suburbs (Soshun kogai), from the series "New One Hundred Views of Tokyo (Shin Tokyo hyakkei)" by Sakuichi Fukazawa

Early Spring in the Suburbs (Soshun kogai), from the series "New One Hundred Views of Tokyo (Shin Tokyo hyakkei)"

1925

Color woodblock print

Field by Henmi Takashi

Field

Early 20th century

Color woodblock print

36 Views Of Osaka The Ebisubashi Bridge by Akamatsu Rinsaku

36 Views Of Osaka The Ebisubashi Bridge

Woodblock print

Mountain Pose by Emiko Aida

Mountain Pose

Aquatint

Beauty Sketching in a Field by Kaburaki Kiyokata

Beauty Sketching in a Field

1903

Woodblock print

Environs of the Mitsukoshi Department Store, from the series One Hundred Views of New Tokyo (Shin Tokyo hyakkei), Shôwa period, dated 1931 by Fujimori Shizuo

Environs of the Mitsukoshi Department Store, from the series One Hundred Views of New Tokyo (Shin Tokyo hyakkei), Shôwa period, dated 1931

Shôwa period, 1926-1989

Woodblock print

Nikorai Embo-distant view of the Nikolai Chapel by Fujimori Shizuo

Nikorai Embo-distant view of the Nikolai Chapel

Japanese, Shôwa era, 20th century

Woodblock print

Evening Landscape by Joichi Hoshi

Evening Landscape

Woodblock print

Evening at Boshu Futoumi in Awa Province- Boshu Futoumi no Yube by Yamakawa Shuho

Evening at Boshu Futoumi in Awa Province- Boshu Futoumi no Yube

Woodblock print

Shitaya, from the series Twelve Views of Tokyo (Tôkyô jûni kei) by Ishii Hakutei

Shitaya, from the series Twelve Views of Tokyo (Tôkyô jûni kei)

Woodblock print

Barn in Field by Tanaka Ryohei

Barn in Field

Woodblock print

Eggs of Silk Worms by Utagawa Hiroshige

Eggs of Silk Worms

From 53 Famous Scenes, no.25 by Utagawa Hiroshige

From 53 Famous Scenes, no.25

Distant view of Tenjin Bridge, from by Oda Kazuma

Distant view of Tenjin Bridge, from

Woodblock print

Landscape, from set of views of Tokyo scenery entitled Tokyo fûkei hangashû by Oda Kazuma

Landscape, from set of views of Tokyo scenery entitled Tokyo fûkei hangashû

Woodblock print

Landscape by Tanaka Kiyokichi

Landscape

Woodblock print

Field — 野辺 by Nakajima Kiyoshi

Field — 野辺

Woodblock print

Landscape at Matsushima by Kosaka Gajin

Landscape at Matsushima

Woodblock print

View of Montmartre — モンマルトル風景 by Maeda Toshiro

View of Montmartre — モンマルトル風景

Woodblock print

View of Daimonji from Nijo Castle — 二条城より大文字を望む by Nomura Yoshimitsu

View of Daimonji from Nijo Castle — 二条城より大文字を望む

Woodblock print

Fabric Shops in Odemmacho (Odemmacho gofukuten) by Utagawa Hiroshige

Fabric Shops in Odemmacho (Odemmacho gofukuten)

Landscape by Sakuichi Fukazawa

Landscape

Woodblock print

Mount Fuji from Behind, from the series One Hundred Views of New Japan (Shin Nippon hyakkei), Shôwa period, dated 1939 by Sakuichi Fukazawa

Mount Fuji from Behind, from the series One Hundred Views of New Japan (Shin Nippon hyakkei), Shôwa period, dated 1939

Woodblock print

Yoshii Tenjin Gorge — 芳井天神峡 by Miyamoto Shufu

Yoshii Tenjin Gorge — 芳井天神峡

Woodblock print

Dawn at Takegawa Rapids by Henmi Takashi

Dawn at Takegawa Rapids

Woodblock print

Juji Gorge at Kurobe River by Henmi Takashi

Juji Gorge at Kurobe River

Woodblock print

Landscape by Henmi Takashi

Landscape

Woodblock print

Yotsuya Mitsuke ukei (Rain at Yotsuya Mitsuke) / Shin Tokyo hyakkei (One Hundred New Views of Tokyo, No. 22) by Henmi Takashi

Yotsuya Mitsuke ukei (Rain at Yotsuya Mitsuke) / Shin Tokyo hyakkei (One Hundred New Views of Tokyo, No. 22)

Woodblock print

Rapids in Kunitachi Park in Towada in snow (Oirase) by Henmi Takashi

Rapids in Kunitachi Park in Towada in snow (Oirase)

Woodblock print

Guji Gorge At Kurobe by Henmi Takashi

Guji Gorge At Kurobe

Woodblock print

Misty landscape by Henmi Takashi

Misty landscape

Woodblock print

Countryside in Sunlit Haze (1) by Yuhan Ito

Countryside in Sunlit Haze (1)

Woodblock print

Distance View of Nara Pagoda from the Pond of Sarusawa and Willow Trees on the Right at Evening by Yuhan Ito

Distance View of Nara Pagoda from the Pond of Sarusawa and Willow Trees on the Right at Evening

Woodblock print

Temple and figures in a misty landscape. by Yuhan Ito

Temple and figures in a misty landscape.

Woodblock print

Landscape of trees with Mt Fuji in background by Yuhan Ito

Landscape of trees with Mt Fuji in background

Woodblock print

Morning View of the Numazu Station on Tōkaidō Road by Kobayashi Kiyochika

Morning View of the Numazu Station on Tōkaidō Road

19th century

Lithograph on paper

[stylized landscape] by Hide Kawanishi

[stylized landscape]

20th century

Ink and color on paper

Guji Gorge At Kurobe by Ito Takashi

Guji Gorge At Kurobe

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.