Rain at Shinobazu Pond (1929) – Kawase Hasui

A quiet shower over Shinobazu Pond

Fine lines of rain cross the sky above Shinobazu Pond. Empty benches line the glistening path in the foreground, while a few figures under umbrellas pass a red pavilion on the far shore. Weeping willows frame the scene, their soft greens making the pavilion and the blue umbrellas stand out.

A view of Ueno’s Benten temple

Shinobazu Pond lies in Ueno Park, Tokyo. The red building across the water belongs to the temple dedicated to Benten, a deity associated with water and the arts. Hasui views it from the opposite bank, leaving room in the foreground for the wet promenade, where the benches and railings are reflected in the pavement.

From the Twenty Views of Tokyo series

Published in 1929 by Watanabe Shōzaburō, Rain at Shinobazu Pond belongs to Hasui’s Twenty Views of Tokyo series (Tōkyō nijūkei). Fine strokes of rain run across the horizontal composition, linking the open sky, the trees and the water. A few touches of red and blue give this shin-hanga print its rhythm.

Why it works so well on a wall

The wide composition suits a space above a sideboard, desk or low sofa. The muted greens pair well with natural linen and light oak, while a slim walnut frame picks up the darker tones of the branches and roof tiles.

• Artist: Kawase Hasui (1883–1957)
• Japanese title: Shinobazu no ike no ame (不忍池の雨)
• Date: 1929
• Series: Twenty Views of Tokyo (Tōkyō nijūkei)
• Publisher: Watanabe Shōzaburō, Tokyo
• Original medium: colour woodblock print on paper, horizontal ōban format
• Our print: high-quality reproduction on museum-grade matte paper

From the same series, discover Zōjōji Temple in Shiba and Sunset at Ichinokura, Ikegami, or explore our full Kawase Hasui collection.