Masao Ido - 道後 (四国 松山) (Dogo Onsen (Shikoku, Matsuyama))

A fabulous print by Masao Ido: 道後 (四国 松山) (Dogo Onsen, Matsuyama - Shikoku). This colourful scene captures the grand tiled roof and bustling entrance of Dogo Onsen Honkan (道後温泉本館) - a celebrated Meiji-era bathhouse said to be Japan’s oldest hot spring. Visitors mill around the entrance, while a tobacco kiosk and vending displays add nostalgic details. The bathhouse’s unique architecture - with its sweeping eaves and layered gables - famously inspired Yubaba’s bathhouse in Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away. A joyful depiction of Japan’s enduring sentō culture. ♨️🏯

• Year & Edition: 1989 · Ed. 99/180 (signed, titled & editioned in pencil).
  
• Medium: Woodblock.
  
• Dimensions: Sheet H: 37.00 cm × W: 49.25 cm; Image H: 30.50 cm × W: 42.00 cm.
  
• Condition: Wonderful. Image and paper face clean, crisp & intact with good colour.
  
• Notes: Built in 1894, Dogo Onsen Honkan is a rare surviving public bathhouse and a designated Important Cultural Property since 1994. According to the Nihon Shoki, Dogo’s waters have soothed emperors and writers alike for over a millennium. Ido’s print offers a vibrant modern portrait of the site’s timeless appeal. 🏮

About the Artist

Masao Ido (1945-2016) was a printmaker known for his Kyoto scenes, brimming with rich greenery, seasonal shades of signature “Ido Green”, and refined goma-zuri textures. Trained in traditional textile dyeing, he turned to woodblock printmaking in the early 1970s, capturing historic townscapes and seasonal views - from Kyoto to Shirakawa-go and the Nakasendō way. Printed with up to 23 colour blocks on handmade Echizen washi, his works are held in major collections including the MFA Boston, U.S. Library of Congress, and the Tokyo & Kyoto National Museums. [ ← View All Works by Masao Ido]