Night Scenes Prints (1041)
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
Night Patrol in the Snow near Niu-chuang
1894 (Meiji 27)
Woodblock print (nishiki-e) triptych; ink and color on paper
Near Nuizhuang, Scouts on a Snowy Night
December 1894
Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper
Night fishing at Kanazawa in Kaga Province — 加賀金沢犀川夜の漁火
Woodblock print
Night Rain
Woodblock print
Outbreak of Fire as Seen From Hisamatsu-cho. Great Fire on the Night of 2/11/81
Woodblock print
Picture of Barge-haulers at Night in Koume, Tokyo
August 1876
Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper
Picture of Our Forces Landing on Taiwan in the Dead of Night
February 1895?
Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper
Rainy Night at Yanagiwara
1881
Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper
Sudden evening shower at Atami in Izu — 伊豆熱海夕立
Woodblock print
Summer Night at Asakusa Kuramae
1881
Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper
Teahouses at Imadobashi on a Moonlit Night
c. 1877 (Meiji 10)
Woodblock print (nishiki-e): ink and color on paper
The Second Month, Matsuchiyama in Snow at Dusk
March 1896
Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper
Triptych: Night Patrol in the Snow near Niu-chuang (Gyûsô fukin setsuya no sekkô), Meiji period,
Woodblock print
View of Ushimachi in Takanawa by Hazy Moonlight
1879 (Meiji 12)
Woodblock print (nishiki-e): ink and color on paper
Early Summer Evening
Woodblock print
Evening Cool - 夕涼
Woodblock print
Long Night
Woodblock print
Courtesan and man attendant walking in the night, illustration from the book Narrow Alley (Roji no hosomichi)
March 1919
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Evening Primrose — 宵待草
Woodblock print
Night trip
Woodblock print
Kiridoshi Evening
1980
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
A Collection of Eastern Brocade Beauties: First Night (Azuma nishiki bijin awase: Shoya)
Woodblock print
A Collection of Eastern Brocade Beauties: Twilight (Azuma nishiki bijin awase: Tasogare)
Woodblock print
Dusk (Yoi)
Woodblock print
Famous Views of Japan: Night View of Yomeimon Gate (Nihon meisho zu-e: Yomeimon)
Woodblock print
New York Night
Woodblock print
Travels with the Master: Acropolis - Night (Meishou To No Tabi: Acropolis no yoru)
Woodblock print
Travels with the Master: New York Night T/P (gomazuri sky - black/ultramarine blue-green) (Meishou To No Tabi: Nyu-yoruku)
Woodblock print
Evening bell at Mii Temple
Unknown
Color woodblock print
Evening Glow at Seta Bridge (Seta no sekisho), from the series "Eight Views of Omi (Omi hakkei no uchi)"
c. 1834
Color woodblock print; oban
Moonlight on the Yodo River (Tsuki)
Woodblock print
Night Rain at Karasaki (Karasaki no yoru no ame), from the series Eight Views of Omi in Etching Style (Doban Omi hakkei)
1804/16
Color woodblock print; horizontal koban
Three women beneath a plum tree at night
c. 1796
Color woodblock print; surimono
Cherry Blossoms at Night on Nakanocho in the Yoshiwara (Yoshiwara Nakanocho yozakura), from the series "Famous Places in the Eastern Capital (Toto meisho)"
c. 1832/38
Color woodblock print; oban
Enjoying the Evening Cool on the Riverbed at Shijo (Shijogawara yusuzumi), from the series "Famous Places in Kyoto (Kyoto meisho no uchi)"
c. 1834
Color woodblock print; oban
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
Night Rain at Karasaki (Karasaki no yau), from the series "Eight Views of Omi (Omi hakkei no uchi)"
c. 1834
Color woodblock print; oban
The Night Attack, Part 3: Mission Accomplished (Youchi san, honmo), from the series "The Revenge of the Loyal Retainers (Chushingura)"
c. 1834/39
Color woodblock print; oban
Traveling at Night in the Hakone Mountains on the Border of Izu and Sagami Provinces (Zuso Hakone-yama yako no zu), from the series "Famous Places in the Various Provinces (Shokoku meisho)"
c. 1830/44
Color woodblock print; uchiwa-e
Night Rain
Woodblock print
Act 11: The Night Attack (Juichidanme, youchi no zu), from the series "Treasury of Loyal Retainers (Chushingura)"
c. 1831/32
Color woodblock print; oban
Enjoying the evening cool under a bridge.
Woodblock print
Night attack of the loyal retainers (47 ronin)
Woodblock print
Night scence aboard a pleasure boat
c. 1830's
Color woodblock print; shikishiban diptych, surimono
#18. Shin-Yoshiwara
Woodblock print
SUBURU (The Pleiades)
Woodblock print
Yoshiwara
1785-1787
Doton-bori
Woodblock print
Illumination — あかり
circa 1970-1990
Woodblock print
Lanterns
Not set
Woodblock print
Nocturne
1955
Color woodblock print
Naka Sector in the Yoshiwara
Woodblock print
Sunset glow at Tsukishima
Woodblock print
Luna
Not set
Woodblock print
Hara Shobō
Woodblock print
Hunting Fireflies in Cool Breeze
Woodblock print
As Darkness Leaves
1990–91
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Scene 1 from Act XI of The Revenge of the Loyal Retainers
Woodblock print
Setting Sun at Iseshima
Woodblock print
Homing Geese
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 Hiroshi Yoshida 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 1041 prints tagged with night scenes, spanning ukiyo-e, shin-hanga, and sōsaku-hanga traditions where applicable.