To the Sea (c. 1930)

Swimming and seaside outings became a popular getaway from the bustle of city life. Designed for the Ministry of Railways, utilizing the swimming athlete and film actress Mikoshiba Hatsuko as the model, the piece was considered unfit for the ministry’s image — but subsequently purchased by a private railway firm, Keisei, to market their water park. The poster is unusual in that it was produced using traditional woodblock printing, rather than lithography, evidenced by subtle woodgrain in the blue background.