2025: Sainokawara Park, Kusatsu Onsen

After my week-long Mokuhanga print residency, I travelled to the onsen town of Kusatsu to recharge. It’s a magical little place. I came across this park on my first afternoon there. It was full of Japanese families and visitors enjoying the weekend, and the paths through it gently lead up towards one of the hot spring baths.

I sat to draw this scene before heading to the onsen myself. The marks are loose and layered, capturing the textures of rocks, trees and water. I was drawn to the mix of natural shapes and the splash of red on the steps in the background. This drawing holds the calm, contented feeling of that afternoon—being outdoors, noticing details, and anticipating the warmth of the hot waters ahead.

Each print is the same size as the original sketchbook page. You can choose whether to include the sketchbook seam or not when ordering. Larger prints (25 x 21 cm) are £35, and smaller ones (23 x 12 cm or 17 x 14 cm) are £30. All prints are made on archival-quality Hahnemühle Fine Art paper.