The Impact of Tsuchiya Kōitsu on the Evolution of Shin-Hanga Art in 20th Century Japan

In the early 20th century, Japan experienced significant transformations. Just a few decades earlier, the nation had reopened itself after over 200 years of isolation, and the combined forces of industrialization and internationalism had begun to emerge. It was in this changing landscape that Japanese artists brought back ukiyo-e, a classical woodblock printing style, as shin-hanga (which translates to “new prints”). Unlike ukiyo-e, however, shin-hanga artists integrated Western techniques and influences, presenting a more modern—and idealized—view of Japan’s history.

At the forefront of this artistic movement was Tsuchiya Kōitsu, one of the few pupils of the renowned Meiji-era printmaker Kobayashi Kiyochika. Born in 1870, Kōitsu garnered recognition for his vibrant landscape prints, a passion he only embraced later in life, at the age of 61. From the early 1930s until 1940, he created and produced landscapes for some of Japan’s most esteemed woodblock print publishers, including the Tokyo-based Kawaguchi and Watanabe. Contributing to his success was a fortuitous meeting with Watanabe Shōzaburō, who is widely regarded as the founder of the shin-hanga movement, in 1931.

Like many shin-hanga artists, Kōitsu preferred illustrative arrangements, featuring meticulous linework and “quintessentially Japanese” scenes, such as iconic pagodas and temples, to enhance international allure. However, what set Kōitsu’s work apart was his approach to color. His landscapes frequently resonate with vivid hues and striking lighting effects, resulting in dynamic and richly saturated environments. One print from 1937, for example, depicts Nagoya Castle, built in 1612 during the Edo period. The castle and its surroundings are imbued with bold colors, where each hue is intensified. Cherry blossoms bloom in a deep rosy tone, tinged with purples and blues; the trees are a vibrant green with hints of turquoise; and the sky transitions from pink to a deep blue as the gaze rises across the canvas.

Kōitsu also skillfully captured evenings and nights. His print of Asakusa Kinryūzan Temple beautifully blends greens, blues, and purples to evoke a sense of serene tranquility, while a rainy depiction of Kofukuji Temple appears suitably somber with its grayish-green tones. These varying colors and atmospheres seem to echo those found throughout manga, despite the fact that the medium was evolving independently from and prior to shin-hanga.

In 1949, at the age of 79, Kōitsu passed away from complications related to pneumonia. Although he only created his landscape prints for roughly a decade, the artist left a significant mark on the shin-hanga movement and the subsequent Japanese art that followed.