Tōyako and Usuzan from the series Miyata Saburō Collection of Woodblock Prints Scenery of Japan

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Japanese Color Woodblock Print

Tōyako and Usuzan

from the series Miyata Saburō Collection of

Woodblock Prints Scenery of Japan

by Miyata Saburō, 1971-1984

IHL Cat. #1688

About This Print

Miyata depicts a very spare Lake Tōya with its islands in pink light (a sunrise or a sunset?) and the active volcano Mount Usu lurking ominously in the background in solid black. This print is from one of the volume of prints, likely a volume of scenes of Hokkaidō where Lake Tōya is located, from the artist's 240 print, 12 volume compendium Miyata Saburō Collection of Woodblock Prints Scenery of Japan.

Lake Tōya and Mount Usu
Source: website of japan-guide.com https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6725.html
Lake Tōya (洞爺湖, Tōyako), a volcanic caldera lake, is part of the Shikotsu-Tōya National Park in Hokkaidō. In addition to the lake itself, the Tōyako region features hot springs and an active volcano, Mount Usu, which last erupted in the year 2000. The area also offers many fishing, hiking, and camping opportunities. The picturesque lake was chosen as the location of the G8 summit which Japan hosted in July 2008. The leaders of the world's eight major industrialized democracies met at the Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa.

Mount Usu is one of the most active volcanoes, with repeated eruptions on a cycle of between 30 and 50 years. Its most recent eruption was in March 2000.

A similar view as in the print.

Looking out to Nakajima Island (left) with the small Kannon Island to its right. Usu volcano is in the right background.

Usu volcano looking southeast across Lake Toya with the town of Toyako-Spa in the foreground.

About the Series "Miyata Saburō Collection of Woodblock Prints - Scenery of Japan"

Consisting of twelve volumes, each containing twenty woodblock prints depicting scenic locations around Japan, Miyata spent fourteen years from 1970 to 1984 producing the series, which he carved and printed himself in a limited edition of 100 prints each. Most if not all the places depicted were actually visited by the artist. Miyata followed this massive series of 240 prints with a printed compendium of the prints titled Miyata Saburō mokuhanga zenshū 宮田三郎木版画全集 (The Complete Woodblock Prints of Miyata Saburō), release in limited edition in five volumes in 1983-1984.

Print Details

IHL Catalog	#1688
Title	洞爺湖と有珠岳 Tōyako to Usuzan Lake Tōya and Mount Usu
Series	Miyata Saburō Collection of Woodblock Prints Scenery of Japan 宮田三郎木版画集―日本の風景 Miyata Saburō Mokuhanga shū Nihon no fūkei
Artist	Miyata Saburō (1924-2013)
Signature	none
Seal	ミヤタサブロウ Miyata Saburō in kana with unread black superimposed character (possibly さ or "sa")
Publication Date	1971-1894
Edition	百冊限定版の内 (limited edition of 100), as stamped on the left side of the bottom margin
Publisher	the artist in conjunction with the Tokyo Print Research Institute Tokyo Hanga Kenkyūsho 東京版画研究所
Printer	self-printed
Impression	excellent
Colors	excellent
Condition	excellent
Genre	sosaku-hanga (creative print)
Miscellaneous
Format	dai-ōban
H x W Paper	15 3/16 x 20 1/8 in. (38.6 x 51.1 cm)
H x W Image	10 9/16 x 16 in. (26.8 x 40.6 cm)
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