Three Views of Japan (Nihon san kei)

The title of this print refers to the 'Three Great Beauty Spots' - Itsukushima shrine on Miyajima Island (instantly recognisable by its Torii gate in the sea), the sandbar of Amanohashidate and the pine-covered islands of Matsushima. Each of these is depicted within a shaped cartouche on the print. As travel for purposes of pilgrimage and sightseeing increased, so did the popularity of such picturesque sites, providing the subject matter for many works of art during the Edo period.

For the same print in the collection of Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, object number 1933.4.919, go to: https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/art/208487