Biography
Kawase Hasui (1883–1957) was one of the most important Japanese woodblock print artists of the twentieth century and a central figure in the shin-hanga ("new prints") movement that revitalized traditional ukiyo-e printmaking in modern Japan. Over a career spanning nearly four decades, he created more than six hundred woodblock print designs, earning him the epithets "Artist of Snow" and "Hiroshige of the Showa Era" for his masterful depictions of Japanese landscapes in rain, snow, moonlight, and mist.
Born Kawase Bunjiro on May 18, 1883, in Shiba Ward, Tokyo, Hasui grew up in a family that ran a silk braiding and thread wholesale business. His paternal uncle was the noted Meiji-era author and journalist Kanagaki Robun. As a child, Hasui suffered from meningitis, which left him with a quiet and introspective temperament. He showed an early passion for art but was expected to take over the family business. When the business went bankrupt around 1909, Hasui was finally free to pursue his artistic ambitions at the age of twenty-six.
Hasui's artistic training followed an indirect path. He initially studied painting under Aoyanagi Bokusen beginning in 1897, then with Araki Kan'yu from 1902. Around 1908, he approached the renowned nihonga master Kaburagi Kiyokata for instruction, but Kiyokata turned him away, calling him a late starter and advising him to study Western-style painting first. Hasui spent two years studying oil painting and watercolor under Okada Saburosuke before Kiyokata accepted him as a pupil around 1910. It was Kiyokata who bestowed upon him the art name "Hasui," meaning "spring water." Under Kiyokata's tutelage, Hasui studied ukiyo-e techniques and nihonga painting, and worked as an illustrator for magazines, books, and advertisements.
Hasui's career as a woodblock print designer began in August 1918, when he was inspired by an exhibition of Ito Shinsui's Eight Views of Lake Biwa. He approached Shinsui's publisher, Watanabe Shozaburo, who commissioned three experimental prints based on sketches Hasui had made at Shiobara. The success of these first designs launched a prolific partnership that would last for the rest of Hasui's life. In 1919, he produced the Twelve Scenes of Tokyo, Eight Views of the Southeast, and began the sixteen-print Souvenirs of Travel, First Series. By 1923, he had already created over one hundred landscape designs.
The Great Kanto Earthquake of September 1, 1923, proved catastrophic for Hasui. He lost his home and one hundred eighty-eight accumulated sketchbooks. Watanabe's entire workshop was also destroyed, including all woodblocks, the complete print inventory, and unsold prints from the unfinished Collection of Scenes of Japan series. Pre-earthquake prints by Hasui are consequently among the rarest and most sought-after shin-hanga. Despite this devastating loss, Watanabe financed a one-hundred-and-two-day sketching trip for Hasui through the Hokuriku, San'in, and San'yo regions later that year, the longest journey of his career. The sketches from this trip formed the basis for the twenty-nine prints of the Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series, published between 1924 and 1929.
During the late 1920s and 1930s, Hasui entered his most productive period. He created the Twenty Views of Tokyo between 1925 and 1930, which includes such iconic images as Zojoji Temple in Shiba, as well as the Selection of Views of Japan and the Collection of Scenic Views of Japan in both Eastern Japan and Kansai editions. While Watanabe remained his primary publisher throughout, Hasui also worked with several other publishers during this period, including Kawaguchi, Doi Teikichi, Iida, and Shiota Takezo. In 1939, he was invited by the Government Railways of Korea to visit the Korean Peninsula, resulting in the Eight Views of Korea series published by Watanabe.
The Second World War severely disrupted Hasui's career. The Japanese government controlled art production, and his peaceful landscape subjects were considered unsuitable for the wartime nationalist atmosphere. His Tokyo home was destroyed a second time by Allied firebombing in 1945, and he spent much of the war years in Shiobara, north of Tokyo. Despite these hardships, the few prints he produced during this era depicted remarkably peaceful scenes of traditional Japan.
Hasui's style is defined by his extraordinary ability to capture atmosphere and mood in landscape scenes. Working within the shin-hanga collaborative system, he designed the prints while professional carvers and printers at the Watanabe workshop executed the woodblocks and printing under his supervision. His subjects were almost exclusively landscapes—temples, shrines, coastlines, village streets, and famous scenic views throughout Japan. Of his more than six hundred designs, over four hundred were landscapes. Hasui traveled extensively throughout Japan, sketching on location with detailed color notations that he later refined into finished designs at his studio. Human figures in his compositions are typically absent or minimal, allowing the natural environment to dominate. His palette featured rich, dense colors and solid forms, blending the traditional Japanese aesthetic of the ukiyo-e landscape tradition with the Western realism he had learned from Okada Saburosuke.
After the war, the Japanese government used Hasui's work to represent a gentler side of Japan in tourist publications. In 1953, the Committee for Preservation of Intangible Cultural Treasures commissioned him to create Snow at Zojoji Temple, with the entire printmaking process documented by woodblock historian Narazaki Muneshige. The resulting print was designated an Intangible Cultural Asset. In 1956, Hasui was designated a Living National Treasure by the Japanese government, becoming the first woodblock print artist to receive this distinction.
Hasui completed his final design, Hall of the Golden Hue, Hiraizumi, while hospitalized with cancer in 1957. He did not live to see the finished print. He died on November 7, 1957, at the age of seventy-four. The first edition of his last print was distributed by his widow at a memorial service held one hundred days after his death. Today, his works are held in major museum collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. His prints continue to be among the most recognized and collected examples of Japanese woodblock printmaking.
Key Facts
- Active Period
- 1883–1957
- Nationality
- 🇯🇵Japan
- Movement
- Shin-hanga
- Works Indexed
- 498
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kawase Hasui known for?
Kawase Hasui (1883–1957) was one of the most important Japanese woodblock print artists of the twentieth century and a central figure in the shin-hanga ("new prints") movement that revitalized traditional ukiyo-e printmaking in modern Japan. Over a career spanning nearly four decades, he created more than six hundred woodblock print designs, earning him the epithets "Artist of Snow" and "Hiroshige of the Showa Era" for his masterful depictions of Japanese landscapes in rain, snow, moonlight, and mist.
When was Kawase Hasui active?
Kawase Hasui was active from 1883 to 1957. They were associated with the Shin-hanga movement.
What artistic movements influenced Kawase Hasui?
Kawase Hasui's work was shaped by the Shin-hanga tradition in Japanese woodblock printmaking. Shin-hanga: The "new prints" movement (c.
What subjects did Kawase Hasui depict?
Kawase Hasui's prints frequently feature landscapes, temples & shrines, rivers & lakes, night scenes, urban scenes, snow scenes.
Where can I see Kawase Hasui's original prints?
Original prints by Kawase Hasui can be found in collections including Art Institute of Chicago.
How much do Kawase Hasui prints cost?
Kawase Hasui is one of the most popular and widely collected shin-hanga artists, and his market spans a vast price range. Common posthumous editions can be found for as little as $300, while his rarest pre-earthquake prints in fine condition have sold for over $30,000. The edition hierarchy is the single most important pricing factor. Pre-earthquake editions (printed before September 1923, when the Great Kanto Earthquake destroyed Watanabe's blocks and stock): $5,000–$30,000+ for major subjects. Post-earthquake recut editions (from re-carved blocks, 1923–1957): $1,500–$8,000. Posthumous editions (printed after Hasui's death in 1957): $300–$1,500. The Watanabe publisher seal is the key identifier — look for the small circular 6mm seal on pre-earthquake prints. Later editions carry progressively larger rectangular seals, and the most recent posthumous editions often show visible woodblock wear with softer lines and flatter colors. Hasui's most iconic subjects command the highest prices regardless of edition: "Snow at Zojoji Temple," "Rain at Maekawa," "Shiba Zojoji Temple," and prints from his "Twenty Views of Tokyo" and "Souvenirs of Travel" series. Night scenes and snow scenes are especially popular with collectors. For new collectors, later Watanabe lifetime editions ($1,500–$4,000) offer excellent quality at moderate prices. Pre-earthquake prints are increasingly scarce on the market and represent the strongest long-term investment. Condition, color vibrancy, and margin quality are the primary factors beyond edition type.
External Resources
Series by Kawase Hasui
Twelve Scenes of Tokyo
1919–1920 · 12 prints
Souvenirs of Travel, First Series
1919–1920
Twelve Months of Tokyo
1920–1921 · 12 prints
Souvenirs of Travel, Second Series
1921–1921
Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series
1924–1924
Twenty Views of Tokyo
1925–1930 · 20 prints
Selection of Views of Japan
Eight Views of Korea
8 prints
Collection of Scenic Views of Japan II, Kansai Edition
Collection of Scenic Views of Japan, Eastern Japan Edition
Korean Views Supplement
Woodblock Prints by Kawase Hasui (498)
Kankaiji Temple in Beppu (Beppu Kankaiji)
c. 1927
Color woodblock print; oban
Uchiyamashita, Okayama, from the series "Selection of Scenes from Japan" (Nihon fukei senshu, Okayama Uchiyamashita)
1923
Color woodblock print
Kanaya-cho, Nagasaki, from the series "Selection of Scenes of Japan" (Nihon fukei senshu, Nagasaki Kanaya-cho)
1923
Color woodblock print
In the Snow, Nakayama-shichiri Road, Hida, from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series" (Tabi miyage dai sanshu, Hida Nakayama-shichiri)
1924
Color woodblock print
In the Snow, Nakayama-Shichiri Road in Hida Province (Hida Nakayama-Shichiri), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
Hida Nakayama-Shichiri
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Hinomisaki in Izumo Province (Izumo Hinomisaki), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
Izumo Hinomisaki
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
![Misty Moonlight at Matsue in Izumo Province (Izumo Matsue [oborozuki]), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)" by Kawase Hasui](https://www.artic.edu/iiif/2/7b184838-7c8e-01f1-cefe-43fe3e3bc339/full/843,/0/default.jpg)
Misty Moonlight at Matsue in Izumo Province (Izumo Matsue [oborozuki]), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Matsue, Izumo, from the series Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshū)
1924
Color woodblock print
![Cloudy Day at Matsue in Izumo Province (Izumo Matsue [kumoribi]), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)" by Kawase Hasui](https://www.artic.edu/iiif/2/80666b94-49f5-a25f-4092-f5e7828ad48f/full/843,/0/default.jpg)
Cloudy Day at Matsue in Izumo Province (Izumo Matsue [kumoribi]), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Hinomisaki in Izumo Province (Izumo Hinomisaki), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Cloudy Day at Matsue in Izumo Province (Izumo Matsue [kumoribi]), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
In the Snow, Nakayama-Shichiri Road in Hida Province (Hida Nakayama-Shichiri), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Mihogaseki Beach in Izumo Province (Izumo Mihogaseki), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Misty Moonlight at Matsue in Izumo Province (Izumo Matsue [oborozuki]), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
Izumo Matsue [oborozuki]
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Matsue, Izumo, from the series Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshū)
1924
Color woodblock print
Mihogaseki Beach in Izumo Province (Izumo Mihogaseki), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
Izumo Mihogaseki
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Gion Bridge at Hondo Amakusa, (Amakusa Hondo Gion-bashi), from the series "Selction of Views of Japan (Nihon fukei senshu)"
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Matsue, Izumo, from the series Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshū)
1924
Color woodblock print
Cloudy Day at Matsue in Izumo Province (Izumo Matsue [kumoribi]), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
Izumo Matsue [kumoribi]
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Kozu, Osaka, from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1924
Color woodblock print
Takatsu in Osaka (Osaka Takatsu), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Mount Asahi seen from Mount Shirouma, from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series" (Tabi miyage dai sanshu, Shiroumadake yori mita Asahidake)
1924
Color woodblock print
Gion Bridge at Hondo Amakusa, (Amakusa Hondo Gion-bashi), from the series "Selction of Views of Japan (Nihon fukei senshu)"
Amakusa Hondo Gion-bashi
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Arifuku Spa, Iwami, from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series" (Tabi miyage dai sanshu, Iwami Arifuku onsen)
1924
Color woodblock print
Kozu, Osaka, from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1924
Color woodblock print
Kintai Bridge in Suo Province (Suo Kintaikyo), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
Suo Kintaikyo
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Kintai Bridge in Suo Province (Suo Kintaikyo), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
In the Snow, Nakayama-shichiri Road, Hida, from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series" (Tabi miyage dai sanshu, Hida Nakayama-shichiri)
1924
Color woodblock print
Mihogaseki Beach in Izumo Province (Izumo Mihogaseki), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Takatsu in Osaka
1924
Woodblock print
In the Snow, Nakayama-Shichiri Road in Hida Province (Hida Nakayama-Shichiri), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1924
Color woodblock print; oban
Kinosaki in Tajima Province
1924
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Seven Miles from Nakayama in Hida District
1924
Woodblock print
Pacific Ocean, Awa Province (Boshu Taikai), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1925
Color woodblock print; oban
Morning at Mihogaseki in Izumo Province (Izumo Mihogaseki no asa), from the series "Selection of Views of Japan (Nihon fukei senshu)"
1925
Color woodblock print; oban
Hama-cho Riverbank (Hamachogashi)
August 1925
Color woodblock print
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
Departing Spring
Spring 1925
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with mica
Zojoji Temple in Shiba (Shiba Zojoji), from the series "Twenty Views of Tokyo (Tokyo nijukkei)"
Shiba Zojoji
1925
Color woodblock print
Zojoji Temple in Shiba (Shiba Zojoji), from the series "Twenty Views of Tokyo (Tokyo nijukkei)"
1925
Color woodblock print
Nezame on the Kiso River (Kiso no Nezame), from the series "Selection of Views of Japan (Nihon fukei senshu)"
1925
Color woodblock print; oban
Suhara, Kiso, from the series "Selection of Views of Japan (Nihon fukei senshu)"
1925
Color woodblock print; oban
Ochanomizu, from the series "Twenty Views of Tokyo (Tokyo nijukkei)"
1926
Color woodblock print; oban
Yasugi Kiyomizu Temple, Izumo Province (Izumo, Yasugi Kiyomizu), from the series "Selection of Views of Japan (Nihon fukei senshu)"
1926
Color woodblock print; oban
Kojaku Cavern, Oga Peninsula (Oga hanto Kojaku no iwaya), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1926
Color woodblock print; oban
Kojaku Cavern, Oga Peninsula (Oga hanto Kojaku no iwaya), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
Oga hanto Kojaku no iwaya
1926
Color woodblock print; oban
Kanda Myojin Shrine Precent, from the series "Twenty Views of Tokyo" (Tokyo nijukei, Kanda Myojin keidai)
1926
Color woodblock print
Yasugi Kiyomizu Temple, Izumo Province (Izumo, Yasugi Kiyomizu), from the series "Selection of Views of Japan (Nihon fukei senshu)"
Izumo, Yasugi Kiyomizu
1926
Color woodblock print; oban
Yasugi Kiyomizu Temple, Izumo Province (Izumo, Yasugi Kiyomizu), from the series "Selection of Views of Japan (Nihon fukei senshu)"
1926
Color woodblock print; oban
The Great Gate at Shiba (Shiba Daimon)
1926
Color woodblock print; oban
Clearing after a Snowfall at the Kannon Temple in Asakusa (Asakusa Kannon no yukibare), from the series "Twenty Views of Tokyo (Tokyo nijukkei)"
1926
Color woodblock print; oban
The Kabuki Theater (Kabukiza)
Kabukiza
May 1926
Color woodblock print
Gozanoishi Shrine at Lake Tazawa, from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series" (Tabi miyage dai sanshu, Tazawako Gozanoishi)
1926
Color woodblock print
Kojaku Cavern, Oga Peninsula (Oga hanto Kojaku no iwaya), from the series "Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)"
1926
Color woodblock print; oban
Shin Ohashi Bridge (Shin Ohashi), from the series "Twenty View of Tokyo (Tokyu nijukkei)"
1926
Color woodblock print; oban
Unzen Peak, Hizen
1926
Woodblock print
View from Hill
1926
Woodblock print
Tenno Temple, Osaka (Osaka Tennōji), from the series Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)
1927
Color woodblock print
Kegon Falls, Nikko (Nikko Kegon no taki)
1927
Color woodblock print; oban
Tenno Temple, Osaka (Osaka Tennōji), from the series Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series (Tabi miyage dai sanshu)
1927
Color woodblock print
