Spring Rain at Tsuchiyama

In the foreground, members of the procession in raincoats begin to cross the bridge in a single line, hats tilted. Faces are not seen; only hats and backs line up, and they are drawn proceeding silently through the rain. At the front of the procession the tip of a covered spear sticks out diagonally. The colors of the hats and raincoats vary among red, yellow, and green, standing out in the gray rain.

The rain is drawn in fine lines, with many lines crossing and covering the whole picture. The Tokyo Fuji Art Museum explains that, compared with Shono: Evening Shower, in which the rain meets the slope at right angles, here countless crossing lines show the intensity of the rain. The Tamura River on the right is white with waves and flows swiftly. The grass on the bank is pushed over by the current, making the force of the water look stronger.

Tsuchiyama is the first post station after crossing Suzuka Pass into Omi. A packhorse driver's song sang, The slope shines, Suzuka is cloudy, and at Tsuchiyama in between, it rains, and the place was known for its heavy rain. The grove at the back is expressed in shades of gray and vanishes into the distance, hazy with rain. Under the trees at back left, the shadow of a building can also be seen.