54 AMAM.OBERLIN.EDU THE EIGHT VIEWS OF FARAWAY PLACES The subjects of Japanese landscape prints expanded beyond familiar domestic locations during different eras. In the Edo period, Katsushika Hokusai created views of the Ryūkyū Islands (modern-day Okinawa)—then an independent kingdomwith ties to various East Asian cultures. By treating these distant islands with the same artistic styles given to famous Japanese locations, Hokusai localized these unfamiliar places as part of Japan’s broader cultural world. Later, in the early 20th century, Yoshida Hiroshi continued this tradition of depicting distant places, but with modern innovations. His sophisticated printing techniques captured subtle atmospheric effects and changing light conditions. For example, his 1941 print Tansui depicts a site in Taiwan, which, like Okinawa, was then part of the Japanese empire. Yoshida’s work thus carried forward the artistic tradition of the Eight Views while documenting Japan’s expanded imperial geography. Top right: KatsushikaHokusai 葛飾北斎 (Japanese, 1760–1849) Clear AutumnWeather on theRainbow Embankment, fromthe series Eight Views of theRyūkyū Islands, mid-1830s Color woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper MaryA. AinsworthBequest, 1950.751 Hokusai based his Eight Views of the Ryūkyū Islands series on illustrations from a Chinese book but made significant artistic changes. While maintaining basic compositions and locations, he added color, ships, and modified architecture. He also altered geographic features, making landmasses appear smaller andmore divided by water than they actually were. The prints allowed Japanese viewers to mentally travel to places they had never seen, though this connection was based on idealization and sometimes imagination rather than accurate representation of the landscape and culture of the Ryūkyūs. Above: KatsushikaHokusai 葛飾北斎 (Japanese, 1760–1849) BambooGroves at KumeVillage, fromthe series Eight Views of theRyūkyū Islands, mid-1830s Color woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper MaryA. AinsworthBequest, 1950.752 Small figures in the foreground sweep and fish, grounding the scene in daily life and showing harmony between villagers and their environment. The print’s centerpiece is a bamboo grove, rendered with delicate, intricate lines. Apart from its many practical uses, bamboo symbolized resilience and adaptability— qualities valued in both Ryūkyūan and Japanese cultures. Hokusai’s attention to detail appears in the diverse vegetation’s varied textures and colors. The color palette balances vibrancy with subtlety: blue sky and sea contrast with earthy land tones, while green vegetation creates freshness. Together, these elements create a serene, inviting atmosphere that brings the distant Ryūkyū landscape to life.
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