Utagawa　Hiroshige　 1855 The scenery of the east side of Lake Hamana, near the Maisaka Ferry is depicted. The Piles depicted in the foreground are considered as wave breakers. The slightly elevated mountain, depicted in the middle is a virtual mountain, which is created by Hiroshige (or it was depicted by mistake). The series, “Views of Famous Places of Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou” was produced in 1855, when Hiroshige was 59 years old, and this is his last Toukaidou series. This series is also called “The Toukaidou in Vertical Pictures” since it is produced as the series of vertical pictures. It is considered the vertical composition is not suitable for landscape pictures since it is difficult to find the good balance in the space. However Hiroshige, the master of landscape pictures used this composition in a distinctive way, created the masterpiece series.

Utagawa　Hiroshige　 1855　 A bird’s eye view of Lake Hamana, Arai post station and a checkpoint, is depicted. The composition is very similar to that of “Otsu” and Mt. Fuji is depicted in the background. The waterway that connects Arai post station and Maisaka post station was called Imagire Ferry and it went through the southern side of Lake Hamana. A series of boats that sails across the lake from the foreground to the east shore, the side of Maisaka post station gives perspective to the picture. The series, “Views of Famous Places of Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou” was produced in 1855, when Hiroshige was 59 years old, and this is his last Toukaidou series. This series is also called “The Toukaidou in Vertical Pictures” since it is produced as the series of vertical pictures. It is considered the vertical composition is not suitable for landscape pictures since it is difficult to find the good balance in the space. However Hiroshige, the master of landscape pictures used this composition in a distinctive way, created the masterpiece series.

Utagawa　Hiroshige 1855 On the Sanjo Ohashi Bridge that crosses over Kamogawa River, various people from different classes, such as a tea-whisk seller, a girl from a noble class who covers her head with kimono, and a samurai who puts up the parasol, are depicted. Above the decorative pink cloud, the townscape of Higashiyama, such as Kiyomizu Temple and the Tower of Yasaka, is depicted. The series, “Views of Famous Places of Fifty-three Stations of the Toukaidou” was produced in 1855, when Hiroshige was 59 years old, and this is his last Toukaidou series. This series is also called “The Toukaidou in Vertical Pictures” since it is produced as the series of vertical pictures. It is considered the vertical composition is not suitable for landscape pictures since it is difficult to find the good balance in the space. However Hiroshige, the master of landscape pictures used this composition in a distinctive way, created the masterpiece series.

Utagawa Hirshige 1856 Hiratsuka’ illustrates a view dominated by Mount Koma-yama. ‘Oiso’ illustrates the statue of the Priest Saigyo Hoshi who is related to the brook of Shigitatsu-sawa. ‘Odawara’ illustrates Ume plum and Ikatataki, chopped squid. Ikatataki is also called Shiorakara, the salt pickled squid. At the Odawara Post Station, together with Ume-boshi, pickled ume plum, they were famous and popular specialities. ‘Hakone’ illustrates the view of ‘To-no-sawa’, which was a popular hot spring spot since the Edo period. Hiroshige produced many series of prints based on the Toukaidou Highway, and he also produced the different styles of work as this one. It is generally called “The Toukaidou with Harimaze-e (Paste the mixed pictures.)”, and three to five pictures of landscapes of post stations, local specialties and episodes or stories related to the places are illustrated in a single sheet.

Utagawa Hiroshige 1856 ‘Nissaka’ illustrates a dialogue scene between two historical figures, Kusunoki Masashige and his son Masatsura. ‘Kakegawa’ illustrates the pilgrimage street to the Akiha Jinja Shrine at the Mikura-gawa River. ‘Fukuroi’ illustrates a design of the Sakuraga-ike Pond where, according to legend, a dragon god dwells. Hiroshige produced many series of prints based on the Toukaidou Highway, and he also produced the different styles of work as this one. It is generally called “The Toukaidou with Harimaze-e (Paste the mixed pictures.)”, and three to five pictures of landscapes of post stations, local specialties and episodes or stories related to the places are illustrated in a single sheet.

Utagawa Hiroshige 1856 ‘Mitsuke’ illustrates a crane according to the story of Minamoto no Yoritomo releasing a thousand cranes into the wild. ‘Hamamatsu’ illustrates the dancing of Yuya Gozen, a love interest of Taira no Munemori. ‘Maisaka’ illustrates Imagire no Watashi at Lake Hamana-ko in snowy weather. Hiroshige produced many series of prints based on the Toukaidou Highway, and he also produced the different styles of work as this one. It is generally called “The Toukaidou with Harimaze-e (Paste the mixed pictures.)”, and three to five pictures of landscapes of post stations, local specialties and episodes or stories related to the places are illustrated in a single sheet.

Utagawa Hiroshige 1856 ‘Arai’ illustrates catching of eels. In the late Edo period, Lake Hamana-ko was known for its speciality as an eel farm. ‘Shirasuka’ illustrates a view from the Shiomi-zaka Slope view located East of the Shirasuka Post Station. The slope commands a well-known fine view of Enshu-nada, the Sea of Enshu. ‘Futagawa’ illustrates Kashiwa-mochi, a pounded rice dumpling with sweetened past with boiled red beans inside wrapped in an oak leaf, a speciality of Saruga-baba resting place. ‘Yoshida’ illustrates the Great Bridge Yoshida-Ohashi spanning the River called Toyo-gawa and over the bridge are fireworks and some visible spectators. Hiroshige produced many series of prints based on the Toukaidou Highway, and he also produced the different styles of work as this one. It is generally called “The Toukaidou with Harimaze-e (Paste the mixed pictures.)”, and three to five pictures of landscapes of post stations, local specialties and episodes or stories related to the places are illustrated in a single sheet.

Utagawa Hiroshige 1856 ‘Chiryu’ was known for a place of historical interest where Kakitsubata, the rabbit-eared iris, used to grow. In the study, a figure that suggests Ariwara no Narihira, a poet of the Heian period is depicted. ‘Narumi’ illustrates ‘a thousand birds along the beach’. Narumi was a place of interest for a multitude of flying birds which were also referred to in a Haiku poem by Matsuo Basho. ‘Miya’ illustrates Taira no Kagekiyo. It is said that the Atsuta Jingu Shrine is a place remembered in connection with Taira no Kagekiyo and a pole of the Torii Gate is depicted on the left-hand side of the picture. At ‘Kuwana’, a speciality of the place, ‘Hamaguri’ ―clams― are depicted. Hiroshige produced many series of prints based on the Toukaidou Highway, and he also produced the different styles of work as this one. It is generally called “The Toukaidou with Harimaze-e (Paste the mixed pictures.)”, and three to five pictures of landscapes of post stations, local specialties and episodes or stories related to the places are illustrated in a single sheet.