About the Artwork
Autumn in Arayu is a Japanese woodblock print by Kawase Hasui, produced in the early twentieth century as part of the shin-hanga movement. Set in the hot-spring village of Arayu, the work captures a quiet rural settlement at the height of autumn, where seasonal change reshapes both landscape and pace of life.
The composition unfolds along a gently curving village road, bordered by trees in muted autumn colour. Leaves shift toward rust, ochre, and deep green, settling into the scene rather than erupting into spectacle. Low buildings and fences recede softly into the background, their forms partially absorbed by shadow and foliage. Hasui’s palette is restrained and tonal, favouring harmony over contrast, so that no single element asserts dominance. Human presence is minimal, allowing the village itself to carry the emotional weight.
Autumn here is treated as a moment of quiet contraction. The light is softened, movement slowed, and the scene feels inward-looking, poised between the fullness of summer and the stillness of winter. Hasui does not depict harvest or activity; instead, he lingers on atmosphere - on the way season alters colour, sound, and attention. Time seems suspended, as if the village is holding its breath.
Today, Autumn in Arayu resonates as a meditation on transition and continuity. In a world drawn toward acceleration and intensity, the print offers an alternative rhythm - one that values gradual change and attentiveness to place. Its modern relevance lies in this sensitivity to the in-between, reminding viewers that meaning often emerges not from dramatic moments, but from those quietly passing seasons that shape how life is lived.
About the Artist
