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Introduction

Hiroshige's "Fifty-Three Stages of the Tokaido"

A Journey through Japanese Woodblock Prints, Part I
May 23 - August 24, 1997

In his "Fifty-Three Stages of the Tokaido" Hiroshige captured the myths and realities of the travel boom in nineteenth-century Japan. At this time, the notion of traveling caught hold of the popular imagination, and thousands of men, women, and children set out to sightsee and make pilgrimages, often combining both activities. The Tokaido (Eastern Sea Route) was the most heavily traveled highway in Japan. Designed as the main artery between the great cities of Edo (modern Tokyo) and Kyoto, the Tokaido traversed many sites of scenic beauty and religious importance.

The woodblock series displayed in this exhibit was extremely popular both for its subject matter and for the artist's innovative style. Hiroshige designed these prints between 1832 and 1833 after having traveled the route as part of an official procession from Edo to Kyoto. By combining diverse landscape images and scenes of everyday life, Hiroshige gives each station a distinct character. He creates a sense of space and movement that encourages the viewer to enter his images.

Journey along with Hiroshige's travelers through the artist's unique vision of the Tokaido.

Selected Objects

Utagawa Hiroshige

Driving rain, Shono (Shono hakuu), ca. 1833

Takenouchi Magohachi, publisher

Hakone: View of the Lake (Hakone kosui no zu), ca. 1833

Utagawa Hiroshige

Shinagawa: Sunrise (Shinagawa hinode), ca. 1833

Utagawa Hiroshige

Ferryboats, Arai (Arai watashibune no zu), ca. 1833

Utagawa Hiroshige

Fuchū: Abe River (Fuchū abegawa), ca. 1833

Utagawa Hiroshige

The great Sanjo Bridge, Kyoto (Keishi sanjo ohashi), ca. 1833

Utagawa Hiroshige

Toyokawa Bridge, Yoshida (Yoshida toyokawabashi), ca. 1833

Takenouchi Magohachi, publisher

Shimada: The Suruga bank of the Ōi River (Shimada oigawa sungan), ca. 1833

Takenouchi Magohachi, publisher

Yui: Satta Peak (Yui satta mine), ca. 1833

Utagawa Hiroshige

Horse fair in the fourth month, Chiryu (Chiryu shuka umaichi), ca. 1833

Utagawa Hiroshige

Nihonbashi: Morning View (Nihonbashi asa no kei), ca. 1833

Utagawa Hiroshige

Nissaka: Sayo Mountain Pass (Nissaka sayononakayama), ca. 1833

Utagawa Hiroshige

Scene at the boundary marker, Fujikawa (Fujikawa bohana no zu), ca. 1833

Utagawa Hiroshige

Posting house with famous specialty, Kusatsu (Kusatsu meibutsu tateba), ca. 1833

Utagawa Hiroshige

Totsuka: Motomachi Fork (Totsuka motomachi betsudō), ca. 1833

Utagawa Hiroshige

Famous Arimatsu tied-dyed cloth, Narumi (Narumi meibutsu arimatsu shibori), ca. 1833

More objects +

RISD Museum

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