"Japanese Fleet Departing Hainan Island" is one of the well-known paintings created in the genre of sensō-ga by the famous Nihonga painter, Kawabata Ryūshi. It is a part of the permanent collection of The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (MOMAT). The monumental composition in paper employs traditional sumi ink and minerals pigments to create an illustration of the Imperial Japanese Navy during WWII. The painting features a powerful array of warships sailing off from the important region of Hainan Island, which had been occupied by Japan. Instead of creating a scene of an incredibly hectic and realistic battle, the artist opts for creating a highly graphic design. The metallic shapes of the ships' hulls seem to pierce the waters with such strict grandeur that conveys discipline, strength, and the relentless movement of the military forces. Ryūshi skillfully incorporates natural aspects into industrial warfare. The expansive sky and agitated sea waters are illustrated by means of minimalist ink washes, so that the silhouette of the warships looks dark and imposing. This piece of art serves as a great example of how classical traditions of Japanese artists were employed to create propaganda for the army. The most remarkable element of the painting is the sky, which challenges the laws of time and nature. Ryūshi depicted both a shining sun to the right side of the painting and a crescent moon to the left at the same time. In the middle of the dark space, located between the sun and the moon, there is a bright white Southern Cross constellation hanging. This indicates that the location of the setting is in the South Seas, reflecting the "Southern Cross romance" (Nanyo roman).
*Japanese Fleet Departing Hainan Island* can be interpreted as a powerful visual representation of Japanese military strength, discipline, and imperial ambition during the Second World War. Rather than presenting warfare through a chaotic or violent battle scene, Kawabata Ryūshi transforms the departure of the fleet into a highly organized and monumental composition. The orderly arrangement of the warships, their dark silhouettes, and their imposing scale create a sense of power, unity, and unstoppable movement.
The contrast between the natural environment and the machinery of war is particularly significant. The restless sea and expansive sky are represented through relatively simple ink washes, while the ships appear solid, precise, and almost monumental. This makes the fleet seem as though it dominates the natural world. The composition therefore communicates not only military power but also the confidence and determination associated with Japanese imperial expansion.
The unusual combination of the sun and crescent moon in the same sky is another important symbolic element. By bringing together two different times of day, Ryūshi moves beyond a realistic representation of a particular moment and instead creates an almost timeless or mythical atmosphere. The Southern Cross further emphasizes the geographical setting of the South Seas and connects the scene to the idea of *Nanyō roman*, or the romanticized vision of Japan's expansion into the southern regions.
However, the artwork can also be understood critically as an example of wartime propaganda. The absence of visible destruction, casualties, or suffering makes warfare appear orderly, heroic, and purposeful. The fleet is presented as magnificent rather than destructive. Through the traditional techniques of Nihonga—sumi ink, mineral pigments, and a monumental format—Ryūshi gives a modern military subject the visual dignity and cultural authority associated with classical Japanese art.
Therefore, I interpret the painting as more than simply a depiction of ships leaving Hainan Island. It represents the idealized image of Japanese military power and imperial expansion promoted during wartime. Its beauty and carefully controlled composition can initially make the scene appear majestic, but this beauty also reveals how art can be used to romanticize war and shape public perception. The painting ultimately reflects the intersection of traditional Japanese artistic aesthetics, nationalism, militarism, and wartime propaganda.
