Utagawa Yoshikazu The production date: 1853 (Kaei 6) Mariko was famed for its yam soup. The saying about a mountain yam turning into an eel was a metaphor for an unlikely occurrence. Eating a bowl of soup made from grated mountain yam just might foreshadow some unexpected happening. In the Edo period, the vicinity of present-day Kachikusa Bridge in Fujieda was where the Toukaidou crossed the Seto River. The river, however, was not bridged, and travelers had to wade across it. The two men in the print are blind, and the scene apparently was borrowed from the kyogen play titled Dobukatchiri Many Utagawa school ukiyo-e artists published the series “Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou Highway”. In this distinctive series, Yoshikazu introduced the legends and episodes that related to the post stations of the Toukaidou Highway humorously. Generally, he produced humorous pictures with horizontal small ko-ban size format. Utagawa Yoshikazu Date of birth and death unknown Yoshikazu was a pupil of Utagawa Kuniyoshi and active from the Kaei era till Meiji 3 (1848~1870). He also used the artist names such as Shunsai and Ichikawa. He produced many worrier pictures, kacho-ga (pictures of birds and flowers), and Yokohama-e (ukiyo-e depicting foreigner’s life styles or the scenes of Yokohama). He also produced illustrations of kusa-zoshi (books with illustrations ).

Utagawa Yoshikazu The production date: 1853 (Kaei 6) At Okabe, a scene of teahouse of Utsuyama Tateba (a rest spot between post stations) located between Okabe post station and Mariko post station is illustrated. The specialty of this teahouse is ju-dango, small dumplings, and a traveler is surprised to see the other customer is catching the flying dumplings by his mouth. At Shimada, the ferry of Oi River is illustrated. If a traveler wanted to cross the river, a man carried the traveler without using a boat. In this scene, a man who tries to carry a woman sumou wrestler falls down since she is too heavy to carry by himself. The woman’s hair style is called “Shimada”, and this is play on words since it is same with the name of the post station. Many Utagawa school ukiyo-e artists published the series “Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou Highway”. In this distinctive series, Yoshikazu introduced the legends and episodes that related to the post stations of the Toukaidou Highway humorously. Generally, he produced humorous pictures with horizontal small ko-ban size format. Utagawa Yoshikazu Date of birth and death unknown Yoshikazu was a pupil of Utagawa Kuniyoshi and active from the Kaei era till Meiji 3 (1848~1870). He also used the artist names such as Shunsai and Ichikawa. He produced many worrier pictures, kacho-ga (pictures of birds and flowers), and Yokohama-e (ukiyo-e depicting foreigner’s life styles or the scenes of Yokohama). He also produced illustrations of kusa-zoshi (books with illustrations ).

Utagawa Yoshikazu The production date: 1853 (Kaei 6) Kanaya Station thrived as the point where travelers crossed the Oi River, the most difficult spot on the Toukaidou Highway. At inns, guests were sure to encounter women who would offer to serve them food and drinks and keep them company. In the print, two women are gaily applying their make-up in front of a mirror. In the Kakegawa Station print, two women who are probably blind are on an earthen bridge with cane in hand and shamisen lutes on their backs. They are feeling their way along, as the bridge has no railings. Many Utagawa school ukiyo-e artists published the series “Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou Highway”. In this distinctive series, Yoshikazu introduced the legends and episodes that related to the post stations of the Toukaidou Highway humorously. Generally, he produced humorous pictures with horizontal small ko-ban size format. Utagawa Yoshikazu Date of birth and death unknown Yoshikazu was a pupil of Utagawa Kuniyoshi and active from the Kaei era till Meiji 3 (1848~1870). He also used the artist names such as Shunsai and Ichikawa. He produced many worrier pictures, kacho-ga (pictures of birds and flowers), and Yokohama-e (ukiyo-e depicting foreigner’s life styles or the scenes of Yokohama). He also produced illustrations of kusa-zoshi (books with illustrations ).

Utagawa Yoshikazu The production date: 1853 (Kaei 6) This print depicts the yonaki-ishi (night-crying stone), one of the attractions at Nissaka Station. Legend had it that a baby born from a pregnant woman who was murdered cried under this stone, and travelers reportedly stopped to inspect it. However, those in this parody seem to find it annoying, and one of them is on the verge of striking it with his staff. Fukuroi reportedly derived its name from the geographical features of its situation; it was ringed by hills, in the middle of which were a rural district and a big spring, as if at the bottom of a sack (fukuro). The print portrays a traveler frightened by a scarecrow that is standing in a rice paddy and aiming an arrow at him. The local to the left with a hoe in hand seems to be telling the traveler to calm down. Many Utagawa school ukiyo-e artists published the series “Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou Highway”. In this distinctive series, Yoshikazu introduced the legends and episodes that related to the post stations of the Toukaidou Highway humorously. Generally, he produced humorous pictures with horizontal small ko-ban size format. Utagawa Yoshikazu Date of birth and death unknown Yoshikazu was a pupil of Utagawa Kuniyoshi and active from the Kaei era till Meiji 3 (1848~1870). He also used the artist names such as Shunsai and Ichikawa. He produced many worrier pictures, kacho-ga (pictures of birds and flowers), and Yokohama-e (ukiyo-e depicting foreigner’s life styles or the scenes of Yokohama). He also produced illustrations of kusa-zoshi (books with illustrations ).

Utagawa Yoshikazu The production date: 1853 (Kaei 6) Kanaya Station thrived as the point where travelers crossed the Oi River, the most difficult spot on the Toukaidou Highway. At inns, guests were sure to encounter women who would offer to serve them food and drinks and keep them company. In the print, two women are gaily applying their make-up in front of a mirror. In the Kakegawa Station print, two women who are probably blind are on an earthen bridge with cane in hand and shamisen lutes on their backs. They are feeling their way along, as the bridge has no railings. Many Utagawa school ukiyo-e artists published the series “Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou Highway”. In this distinctive series, Yoshikazu introduced the legends and episodes that related to the post stations of the Toukaidou Highway humorously. Generally, he produced humorous pictures with horizontal small ko-ban size format. Utagawa Yoshikazu Date of birth and death unknown Yoshikazu was a pupil of Utagawa Kuniyoshi and active from the Kaei era till Meiji 3 (1848~1870). He also used the artist names such as Shunsai and Ichikawa. He produced many worrier pictures, kacho-ga (pictures of birds and flowers), and Yokohama-e (ukiyo-e depicting foreigner’s life styles or the scenes of Yokohama). He also produced illustrations of kusa-zoshi (books with illustrations ).

Utagawa Yoshikazu The production date: 1853 (Kaei 6) This print depicts the yonaki-ishi (night-crying stone), one of the attractions at Nissaka Station. Legend had it that a baby born from a pregnant woman who was murdered cried under this stone, and travelers reportedly stopped to inspect it. However, those in this parody seem to find it annoying, and one of them is on the verge of striking it with his staff. Fukuroi reportedly derived its name from the geographical features of its situation; it was ringed by hills, in the middle of which were a rural district and a big spring, as if at the bottom of a sack (fukuro). The print portrays a traveler frightened by a scarecrow that is standing in a rice paddy and aiming an arrow at him. The local to the left with a hoe in hand seems to be telling the traveler to calm down. Many Utagawa school ukiyo-e artists published the series “Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou Highway”. In this distinctive series, Yoshikazu introduced the legends and episodes that related to the post stations of the Toukaidou Highway humorously. Generally, he produced humorous pictures with horizontal small ko-ban size format. Utagawa Yoshikazu Date of birth and death unknown Yoshikazu was a pupil of Utagawa Kuniyoshi and active from the Kaei era till Meiji 3 (1848~1870). He also used the artist names such as Shunsai and Ichikawa. He produced many worrier pictures, kacho-ga (pictures of birds and flowers), and Yokohama-e (ukiyo-e depicting foreigner’s life styles or the scenes of Yokohama). He also produced illustrations of kusa-zoshi (books with illustrations ).

Utagawa Yoshikazu The production date: 1853 (Kaei 6) The print for Mitsuke Station shows a boat crossing the Tenryu River. The Hoeido edition of Hiroshige's series of Toukaidou prints presents a placid scene at the same spot, with boats beached on a sandbar in the river. In contrast, this print depicts frightened travelers in a rocking boat. In correspondence with the place name, which means “dancing slope,” the Maisaka Station print shows people dancing. In reality, during the Grand Drum Festival held at the Maisaka Kisa Shrine (in the city of Hamamatsu), people walk through the street doing a “hand dance.” This might be the subject of this print. Many Utagawa school ukiyo-e artists published the series “Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou Highway”. In this distinctive series, Yoshikazu introduced the legends and episodes that related to the post stations of the Toukaidou Highway humorously. Generally, he produced humorous pictures with horizontal small ko-ban size format. Utagawa Yoshikazu Date of birth and death unknown Yoshikazu was a pupil of Utagawa Kuniyoshi and active from the Kaei era till Meiji 3 (1848~1870). He also used the artist names such as Shunsai and Ichikawa. He produced many worrier pictures, kacho-ga (pictures of birds and flowers), and Yokohama-e (ukiyo-e depicting foreigner’s life styles or the scenes of Yokohama). He also produced illustrations of kusa-zoshi (books with illustrations ).

Utagawa Yoshikazu The production date: 1853 (Kaei 6) At Hamamatsu Station, a hairdresser is pulling a customer's hair so hard that his eyes are turned upward. This is a scene from an episode in Shank’s Mare Tour of the Toukaidou Highway that takes place in the village of Yamada in Ise Province. Arai Station was famous for its grilled eel and seafood dishes. The Arai ferry crossing was also called Imakiri (literally meaning “cut now”). A man whose his finger is bitten by a snapping turtle goes up to ask none other than the eel chef to cut it off for him. Many Utagawa school ukiyo-e artists published the series “Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou Highway”. In this distinctive series, Yoshikazu introduced the legends and episodes that related to the post stations of the Toukaidou Highway humorously. Generally, he produced humorous pictures with horizontal small ko-ban size format. Utagawa Yoshikazu Date of birth and death unknown Yoshikazu was a pupil of Utagawa Kuniyoshi and active from the Kaei era till Meiji 3 (1848~1870). He also used the artist names such as Shunsai and Ichikawa. He produced many worrier pictures, kacho-ga (pictures of birds and flowers), and Yokohama-e (ukiyo-e depicting foreigner’s life styles or the scenes of Yokohama). He also produced illustrations of kusa-zoshi (books with illustrations ).