About the Artwork
Mishima River in Mutsu Province is a Japanese woodblock print by Kawase Hasui, produced in the early twentieth century as part of the shin-hanga movement. Set in Japan’s northern Mutsu Province, the work depicts a remote river landscape far removed from the urban scenes often associated with modern Japan, emphasising distance, quiet, and regional character.
The composition is anchored by the slow movement of the river as it winds through a sparsely populated landscape. Water occupies the centre of the scene, reflecting a pale sky and guiding the eye gently into depth. On either bank, low vegetation, trees, and scattered structures appear subdued and weathered, integrated seamlessly into their surroundings. Hasui’s palette is cool and restrained - soft blues, greys, and earthen tones - creating an atmosphere that feels clear, open, and lightly chilled.
Unlike scenes of labour or travel, Mishima River in Mutsu Province is defined by absence. There is little sense of human activity; if people are present at all, they are secondary to the land itself. The river does not rush or dramatise its course. Instead, it holds the scene together through quiet continuity, suggesting endurance rather than change. Hasui’s linework is delicate, allowing space, air, and distance to do the emotional work.
Today, the print resonates as a meditation on remoteness and scale. In contrast to images of modern infrastructure or dense habitation, it presents a Japan shaped by geography rather than speed. Its modern relevance lies in its attention to peripheral places - landscapes that resist centrality and social media spectacle, yet carry their own steady gravity. The work invites slower looking and a recalibration of attention, reminding viewers that calm and meaningful travel often reside far from centres of activity.
About the Artist
