Night Scenes Prints (954)
Night scenes (yozora or yoru no keshiki) are among the most technically demanding and atmospherically compelling subjects in Japanese woodblock printmaking. The challenge of rendering darkness, artificial light, moonlight, and their interactions with architecture and landscape pushed printmakers to develop distinctive techniques that have no parallel in other print traditions. The tradition begins with Hiroshige's pioneering nocturnal views in "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo," where deep indigo skies, lantern-lit windows, and moonlit water created moody compositions that transcended topographic documentation. These techniques were refined by Meiji-era artists and reached their fullest expression in shin-hanga, where night scenes became a signature subject. Tsuchiya Koitsu became the foremost specialist in nocturnal views, producing prints that captured the warm glow of paper lanterns against deep blue-black skies with extraordinary subtlety. Kawase Hasui's night scenes, including his famous views of snow-covered landscapes under moonlight, achieved a contemplative stillness that epitomizes the shin-hanga aesthetic. The printing of night scenes required exceptional skill from the printer (surishi), who had to control multiple gradations of deep pigments and subtle light effects through precise pressure and moisture during the impression process.
Artists Known for Night Scenes
Moon and Cherry Blossoms
Woodblock print
M-34 - Futayado - Moon at old country house
Woodblock print
M36- Moon rising at Nokizaki
Woodblock print
Moon at Sekiguchi
関口の月
c. 1920
Color woodblock print
Moonrise at Minatomachi
Woodblock print
"Castle, Moon & Birds"
Woodblock print
Owl and Moon
Woodblock print
Mount Myogi at Sunset, Gunma Prefecture (Kareyuku Myogi)
1958
Woodblock print
Sunset at Matsue Castle, Shimane Prefecture
1942
Woodblock print
Following the Dawn Mist
Woodblock print
Moon at Matsushima
Woodblock print
Moonrise At Nezu Gongen Shrine — 月の出 根津権現
Woodblock print
Blue Night
Woodblock print
Moon over Matsushima
松島の月
1957
Woodblock print
SHIROI KI AKEBONO (White Tree Dawn)
Woodblock print
Moon in August
Woodblock print
Morning Moon 23
Woodblock print
The Moon - A
Woodblock print
Persimmon Sunrise
1983
Woodblock on Arches 90lb hotpress watercolour paper
Summer Nights
1990
Woodblock
The Moon and Ishiyama
Woodblock print
August, Moon
1918
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
New Ukiyo E Beauties August Moon
Woodblock print
Moon
1952
Color woodblock print
Fly To The Moon Ⅱ
2015
Photographic Art Montage
Sunrise — 日の出
Not set
Woodblock print
Moon
Woodblock print
Sunset
Woodblock print
Asa (Dawn)
Woodblock print
Favourable Sunset Wind
晩照順風
Woodblock print
Hazy Moon in the Spring (Oboroharu)
1930
Woodblock print
Black Night Ginza (One Hundred Views of Tokyo)
Woodblock print and silkscreen
September: Full Moon at Suwayama
1931
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Moon - 月
1980
Woodblock print
No. 3 - Misty Spring Moon - おぼろ春
1932 1980s)
Woodblock print
A pair of Flying Ducks and Moon
before 1912
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Egrets and Crescent Moon
1926
Color woodblock print; oban
Flying Geese and Moon
before 1912
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Woman near the Cherry Tree in a Full moon
Woodblock print
Wakano-ura in Moonlight
Woodblock print
Ukimido Temple Evening Moon — 浮御堂夕月
Woodblock print
New Moon
1941
Color woodblock print
Acropolis, Night
Woodblock print
Unknown, bird hooting at the moon 2
Woodblock print
The Moon over Hirosawa — Hirosawa no Tsuki
Woodblock print
Twilight B- LE
Woodblock print
Bruges at Dawn
1919
Color woodcut
Mitate No.19 - Sunset (Raku-jitsu)
1999
YOBANASHI (Evening Story)
Woodblock print
YUMAGURE (evening)
Woodblock print
SHAJITU (the evening sun)
Woodblock print
AKEGATA (Dawn)
Woodblock print
ASABORAKE (Dawn)
Woodblock print
Kotohiki Shrine, Sanuki Province, Moon, from
Woodblock print
Moon Light
Woodblock print
Sunset
Woodblock print
Moon Guiter
Woodblock print
Moon Viewing at Ishiyama
Woodblock print
Moonviewing Banquet at Yoshino Imperial Palace
Woodblock print
East Wind / Moon Wind (Tôhô no kaze / Tsuki kaze), Shôwa period, dated 1959
Woodblock print
Related Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
Night scenes (yozora or yoru no keshiki) are among the most technically demanding and atmospherically compelling subjects in Japanese woodblock printmaking. The challenge of rendering darkness, artificial light, moonlight, and their interactions with architecture and landscape pushed printmakers to develop distinctive techniques that have no parallel in other print traditions.
Kawase Hasui, Kobayashi Kiyochika, and Takahashi Shotei are among the artists most associated with night scenes in our collection. Browse the full list of artists who explored this subject above.
Hanga currently catalogues 954 prints tagged with night scenes, spanning ukiyo-e, shin-hanga, and sōsaku-hanga traditions where applicable.