Kanazawa Hakkei　金沢八景

Kanazawa Hakkei means "The Eight views of Kanazawa". Eight scenic spots around Kanazawa, the southern part of Kuraki 久良岐 in Sagami 相模 Province (modern Kanazawa-Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa prefecture), which were popular as destinations for pleasure excursions, particularly from the late 17c onward. The idea of choosing eight views is popular in the late Muromachi Period and Edo Period.

The eight views of Kanazawa are:

1. "Night Rain at Kozumi" Kozumi no yau 小泉夜雨
2. "Wild geese alighting on the lagoon" Hirakata no rakugan 平潟落雁
3. "Evening snow scene at Uchikawa" Uchikawa no bosetsu 内川暮雪
4. "Returning Sails at Ottomo " Ottomo no kihan 乙艫帰帆
5. "Sunset Glow at Nojima" Nojima no sekishou 野島夕照
6. "Clearing Mist at Suzaki" Suzaki no seiran 州崎晴嵐
7. "Evening Bell at Shoumyou" Shoumyou no banshou 称名晩鐘
8. "Harvest Moon at Seto" Seto no shuugetsu 瀬戸秋月

The "Eight views of Kanazawa" were illustrated by some ukiyo-e artists.
Among them, those painted by Hiroshige Utagawa was the most popular in those days.

This area around Kanazawa was a place celebrated for its scenery with continuous beautiful bays, capes and beeches. But, since 60's, in the course of modernization and economic development, the most part of the waterfront have been reclaimed. We cannot find the trace of "Kanazawa Hakkei" in the current landscape in Kanazawa.

※このページにある画像の複製、他への転載を禁じます。