NATURE: The Beauty of the Japanese Landscape

Famous Sights of Nikkō: Hannya and Hōtō Waterfalls by Yōshū Chikanobu, 1891

Japan, with its volcanic landscape and temperate climate, is rich in green forests, majestic mountains and scenic waterways, and its natural beauty and changing seasons have always been a central theme in literature and art. During the Edo period (1603-1868), when the urban population became patrons of a vibrant new artistic and literary culture, natural landscapes and elements like flowers, trees and birds were depicted not only in paintings but also in the more affordable woodblock prints designed by Japan’s most famous artists – the focus of this section of the exhibition.

The woodblock prints of the Edo period are part of a tradition called ukiyo-e (“pictures of the floating world”) – paintings, illustrated books and prints that originally portrayed the entertainers and activities of the urban pleasure quarters, or “floating world.”

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Since many of these landscape prints showed people traveling through nature, interest in travel to these sites also increased. Though strictly controlled by the government at the time, some travel was permitted, including pilgrimages to sacred sites, famous temples and shrines. For those unable to visit these places themselves, the prints served to fuel their dreams. As Japanese prints made their way around the globe – to artists and collectors in Europe and the United States – so too did the dream of travel to Japan. The prints featured in the Nature part of the exhibition represent six regions of Japan: Edo (modern Tokyo), around Mt. Fuji, Nikko, the Kyoto Area, the Seto Inland Sea and Nagano. ​Explore each region.