Woman Visiting a Shrine on a Rainy Night
雨夜の宮詣（見立蟻通図）
Suzuki Harunobu · 18th century (Edo period) · Woodblock print (ukiyo-e)
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Woman Visiting a Shrine on a Rainy Night is a medium-format color woodblock print by Suzuki Harunobu (18th century, Edo period) showing a young woman heading to a shrine on a rainy night. A mitate print recasting the noh play Aridoshi in contemporary dress, it is an Important Art Object held by the Tokyo National Museum.
- Artist
- Suzuki Harunobu
- Date
- 18th century (Edo period)
- Medium / format
- Woodblock print (ukiyo-e)
About this work
Against a vermilion torii, tall trees, and a wooden fence, a young woman walks under a large umbrella. The umbrella is striped blue and yellow, and she carries a lantern, her kimono hem swirling. Her kimono has a floral pattern on a purplish ground, and her sash has a yellowish tint.
The woman heading to a shrine on a rainy night with a lantern is Osen, the star waitress of a teahouse at Kasamori Inari Shrine. The print is said to be based on the noh play Aridoshi, in which the poet Ki no Tsurayuki meets wind and rain before the Aridoshi deity and escapes trouble through the power of waka poetry.
Many ukiyo-e prints replace the world of the classics with contemporary manners and customs, for viewers to enjoy decoding. This work is one example. It is a medium-format color woodblock print, 27.6 x 20.5 cm, designated an Important Art Object.
Where can I see it?
Exhibitions change over time. Check each museum's exhibition information before you visit.
Museums that hold this work
- Tokyo National MuseumMuseum's page for this work (opens in a new tab)
Taito City, Tokyo Accession no. A-10569-100
Plan your visit to Tokyo National Museum
Find places to stay, activities and rental cars for a visit to Tokyo National Museum, which holds "Woman Visiting a Shrine on a Rainy Night".
Frequently asked questions
- Who painted Woman Visiting a Shrine on a Rainy Night, and when?
- Woman Visiting a Shrine on a Rainy Night is by Suzuki Harunobu, made in 18th century (Edo period). Medium: Woodblock print (ukiyo-e).
- Where can I see Woman Visiting a Shrine on a Rainy Night?
- It is held by Tokyo National Museum. Exhibitions change, so check each museum's information before you visit.
Sources and references
- ColBase (Tokyo National Museum) (in Japanese) (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
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