Utagawa Kuniyoshi Production date:1844-47 There is a gigantic rock called “Neko-ishi (Cat’s Stone)” in Okabe’s Utsuyama (Mt.Utsu). There is an anecdote that once upon a time, a wild cat turns itself into an old woman and scares people, but one day, the cat tunes into a stone. In the picture, the scene that an old woman attacks a girl is illustrated. This is based on the story “The Monster Cat of Okazaki” from “Hitori Douchu Goju-san Eki (The Lone Journey of the Fifty-three Stations).

Utagawaa hiroshige Production date:1844-47 The landscape of Abe River is illustrated in the fun-shape frame illustrated on the upper part of the picture. Below, women are picking tea leaves of Abe Tea, which is the local product of this region. The bird flying in the sky is hototogisu (Japanese cuckoo) known as the bird that tells the arrival of the tea picking season. The red color of women’s towels and aprons attract viewers’ eye with the contrast of the tea leaves’ dark green and light green background.

Utagawaa hiroshige Production date:1844-47 The Origin of the Pine Grove of Hagoromo at Miho Bay By linking the legend of hagoromo (feathered robe) of Miho Pine Grove, the flying tennyo (the celestial beauty) is illustrated. The uplifting celestial beauty who pops out of the picture frame and the composition of the intermediate view of sea surface and the distant view of Mt. Fuji enhance the three-dimensional quality of this picture. Hagoromo indicates the airily light garment in a cotemporary sense, but in the Edo period, hagoromo literary indicates ha (feathered) goromo (robe). Thus, in this picture, the celestial beauty is holding several types of feathered robes.

Utagawaa hiroshige Production date:1844-47 Tago no Ura Bay has been known for its scenic beauty from the ancient time. The man standing at the shore is assumed as Yamabe Akahito, a poet of the Nara period in Japan, who was famous with his poetry “As I started off along the shore of the Tago no Ura Bay, I saw the white and glistening peak of Mt. Fuji, all aglow through falling flakes of snow”. Hiroshige’s unique composition is fully expressed with the extending Miho Pine Grove in the middle ground, with the distant view of Mt. Ashitaka and Mt. Fuji.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi Production date:1844-47 The Mt. Fuji, which is not illustrated in the “No. 6: Hara” is fully illustrated on the background. At the foreground, the local woman who is mending her net is largely illustrated.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi Production date:1844-47 “The Anecdote of Roppon-matsu (Six Pine Trees)” is a tragic story of Yoshitsune’s lover Princess Joruri. On the way back to his hometown Oushu, Yoshitsune fell in love with Joruri at Yahagi post station. After Yoshitsune’s departure, she tried to follow him but died at Kambara and buried at this place. Six pine trees were planted as the mark of Joruri’s burial. Joruri’s tragic love story was passed down from generation to generation and became the origin of the performing art of joruri, a narrative song sung by a singer accompanied with a shamisen (the three-stringed musical instrument) tune. From the shamisen illustrated on the back the lady, it is considered she is a musical performer. She is enjoying a relaxed time without setting her newly washed hair. This is a part of the Toukaidou series ukiyo-e, but unlike the other works that focus on the landscapes and views of post stations, in this series the scenes based on legends, tales, kabuki drama, and joururi plays that relate to each post station are illustrated. On the upper part of each work, an explanatory note is written and the picture relates to the notes is illustrated on the lower half. This series was rare since three very popular artists from Utagawa School, Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi and Kunisada (Toyokuni III) were all involved to produce the series together. Furthermore, six publishers were collaborated to produce this series. (In this exhibition, works by Utagawa Hiroshige and Utagawa Kuniyoshi are displayed.)

Utagawaa hiroshige Production date:1844-47 Hara is known for its great scenic view of Mt. Fuji and usually, in other Toukaidou series, Mt. Fuji is often illustrated in the picture of Hara post station. However, in this picture, Mt. Fuji is not illustrated but the scene from the story of “The Tale of Bamboo Cutter (Taketori Monogatari)”, known with more familiar title of “Princess Kaguya” is illustrated.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi/Utagawa Hiroshige Production date:1844-47 Fuji River (Fuji-gawa) is a gigantic river that flows around the west foot of Mt. Fuji. This is the place where the army led by Minamoto no Yoritomo faced the army led by Taira no Koremori during “The Battle of Fuji River”. Facing the big army of Minamoto Clan, the morale of Taira Clan’s army was low. At one night, while they launched near the Fuji River, they were alarmed by the sound of a flock of water birds flew over their camp and panicked since they misunderstood the sound as the sudden attack of the Minamoto Clan’s army. In the picture, Heike warriors running away from the fake attack are illustrated. This is a part of the Toukaidou series ukiyo-e, but unlike the other works that focus on the landscapes and views of post stations, in this series the scenes based on legends, tales, kabuki drama, and joururi plays that relate to each post station are illustrated. On the upper part of each work, an explanatory note is written and the picture relates to the notes is illustrated on the lower half. This series was rare since three very popular artists from Utagawa School, Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi and Kunisada (Toyokuni III) were all involved to produce the series together. Furthermore, six publishers were collaborated to produce this series. (In this exhibition, works by Utagawa Hiroshige and Utagawa Kuniyoshi are displayed.)