Artist: Katsushika Hokusai 1830-1844 (c.Tempou era), Publisher: Eijudou Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji is the ultimate masterpieces of Hokusai, and the thirty-six pieces originally published were called “top” while the ten pieces followed the original, because of the high reputation of the series, were called “bottom”. As a total, forty-six works of this series were published. The works of Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji are classified into three categories according to the picture mood: the first category is the painting with Yamato-e style tradition, the second category is picture with the Chinese ink painting tradition and the third category is the picture with the Western perspective expression. This particular picture is classified into the Chinese ink painting tradition inherits many elements from it. The Enoshima Island is illustrated as if it is connected to the mainland, expressed in very flat way, reminds viewers of the Chinese landscape painting. Katsushika Hokusai Hōreki 10~Kaei 2 (1760~1849) Hokusai was a pupil of Katsukawa Shunsho; also said to have studied under Kano Yusen, Tsutsumi Torin, and Sumiyoshi Hiroyuki. He produced of wide variety of art and media. Later in his life, he focused more on the paintings and worked beyond the framework of the established ukiyo-e. He had students such as Hokuba, Hokkei, Hokuju and Shinsai. He had a long career period started from An’ei 8 till his death (1779-1849).

Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige 1834 This work, although deviated from the main theme of this exhibition, illustrates the landscape of the Enoshima Island viewed from Katase, and it is from the same series of the work No.37 (Only two works from the same series are discovered today). The Enoshima Island is illustrated with the composition as if to look down from a height, and Shichimen-zan is illustrated in the front. In the middle landscape, between Enoshima Island and Shichimen-zan, houses around Ryukouji Temple are illustrated. People walking toward to the Enoshima Island on the sandbar appears at the time of low tide are illustrated as dots. Katase is the land facing Enoshima Island, but it is rare that this place is illustrated as the motif of picture, thus the composition of this picture is distinctive. The Shichimen-zan in the title is the mountain illustrated at the left where travelers are taking a rest and it is located at the back of Ryukouji Temple of the Nichiren-sect.

Utagawa Hiroshige 1856 ‘Kanagawa’ illustrates a Japanese fairy tale starring Urashima Taro At the climax of the story, smoke from the opened gift box turns him into an old man. ‘Hodogaya’ illustrates the poles of Katabira-bashi Bridge that spans the Katabira-gawa River and is commonly depicted as a scene representing the Hodogaya Post Station. ‘Totsuka’ illustrates the Ozaka Slope at the western side of the Totsuka Post Station. The Ozaka Slope is also a well known place for its view of Mt. Fuji. ‘Fujisawa’ illustrates Princess Terute, who appears in the Tale of Ogurihangan as his love interest. 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 The production date: c.1847-1852 (c.Kouka 4-Kaei5) Publisher: Sumimasa,(Sumiyoshi-ya Masagorou) This work was published at the same time with the “Crowd of Pilgrims Gathered at the Enoshima Benzaiten of Sagami Province for the Kaichou Ceremony”, and the scene illustrated is the few hours after people forming a line at the approach to pay homage to the Benzaiten of Enoshima, the deity of music. The pilgrims hold the parasols with the emblems of their musical groups. At the left side around the rocky section and the approach to the shrine, people from Tokiwazu tune, a story telling song with a tune collaborates with shamisen, three-stringed Japanese instrument are illustrated. People of this group hold the parasols with Kaku-Mokkoue (the cut section of a cucumber with the combination of square patterns) . The members of Kineya group, specializing Edo naga-uta, the traditional Japanese song in special tune at the center of the picture, are holding parasols with the emblem of San-bon Kine, a pattern of three mallets. The people from Kiyomoto tune, specializing a song with shamisen are holding parasols with Hishi ni Mitsu-Gashiwa emblem, the combination of diamond shape lozenges and oak leave. The people enjoying picnic on the red felt mat at the right side of the picture are the people from Miyamoto tune, the story telling song with shamisen. The kimonos’ pattern are the Miyamoto tune’s emblem of primrose and the rock underneath is the Manaita-iwa, the Cutting-board Rock.

Utagawa Hiroshige The production date: c.1847-1852 (c.Kouka 4-Kaei 5) Publisher: Sumimasa Enoshima Island became a very popular resort during the late Edo period, since it was conveniently close from Edo, or present day Tokyo, and as a result, it attracted many tourists together with the worshippers of the Benzaiten. During the Edo period, it was very popular to pay homage to Enoshima by forming a group called kouchu (Kouchu was group of people gather together for a common aim, but not a political organization). Enoshima Island was especially crowded when Midoshi Kaichou (Kaichou ceremony on the year of snake from the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac) took place once in every six year. This particular work is part of a trilogy together with “A View of Pilgrims Visiting the Kaichou Ceremony at the Hongu (the main shrine) in a Cave of Enoshima Benzaiten in Sagami Province” and “The Pilgrimage of the Kaichou Ceremony at the Enoshima Benzaiten” published from the same publisher, Sumiyoshi-ya Masagorou.

Utagawa Hiroshige O-ban, vertical print The production date: 1855 (Ansei 2) Publisher: Tsutaya Kichizou Since all works from this series are the vertical prints, it is generally called “The Toukaidou in Vertical Pictures”. This work was produced in Hiroshige’s late year, when he was fifty-nine. In this series of the views of famous places, almost all post-stations are illustrated in the bird’s-eye-view and the perspective is used to illustrate the rows of houses and streets. As the title suggests, a view of Nango (present day: Chigasaki-city), the view of pine trees along the Toukaidou Highway is illustrated. Nango was the rest spot located between the Fujisawa post station and Hiratsuka post station, and this place was famous for its scenic point of “Hidari-Fuji”, or the Mt. Fuji is appears from the left, which was very rare along the Toukaidou Highway (Usually, if people travel to the direction of Kyoto, Mt. Fuji appears from the right side). Even today, we can enjoy the beautiful Hidari-Fuji from the Toriido Bridge.