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Edo-Tokyo: Time Travel with Hiroshige

2025.03.14(Fri) - 2025.04.22(Tue)

Overview

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), one of the most celebrated ukiyo-e artists of the latter part of Edo period, produced many landscape prints depicting places of scenic beauty. Like his well-known series, the Fifty-three Stages on the Tōkaidō published from the Hoeidō, the One Hundred Famous Views of Edo offers a glimpse of the capital city’s townscape through Hiroshige’s unique perspective. A Dutch painter Van Gogh famously copied one of the compositions from this series.
This exhibition focuses on the illustration of the lives of ordinary people in Edo, including the bustling morning hours at the Nihonbashi bridge (“Nihonbashi Morning Scene” from Fifty-three Stages on the Tōkaidō) and a busy street under a sudden downpour in summer (“Sudden Shower over Shin-Ōhashi Bridge and Atake” from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo), curated from the aforementioned series. In addition, the museum’s original visual projection, portraying the same locations as seen today in a photographic form, offers a fascinating point of reference to Hiroshige’s ingenious compositions. It broadens viewers’ horizons in appreciating Hiroshige’s landscape woodblock with timeless charm and style.

NIHONBASHI: MORNING SCENE from the Fifty-three Stages on the Tōkaidō, Hoeidō edition
Edo period (1833–34)

The Nihonbashi bridge today

Instead of the standard profile view of an arching bridge, Hiroshige captures the Nihonbashi bridge from an end of the bridge. The sky in daybreak sets the tone of serenity, in which appears the herald of a daimyō procession. Other figures in the picture conjure up a busy morning scene in the Nihonbashi district.

Highlights

SHINAGAWA: AT DAYBREAK from the Fifty-three Stages on the Tōkaidō, Hoeidō edition, Edo period (1883–34)

Having left Nihonbashi, a traveler would come to the first station Shinagawa by the time of sunrise. A daimyō procession, entering the lodging station, is portrayed from behind. The sailing ships occupy the bay of Edo with a strong sense of presence.

Cherry-blossom Viewing at Asukayama, Edo period (1855)

While Hiroshige drew Asukayama on several occasions, notably in the series of Famous Places of the Eastern Capital and Famous Views of Edo, this triptych illustrates the popular custom of cherry-viewing, with a focus on people enjoying themselves under the trees. Mount Fuji is seen in the distant background.

Cherry Blossoms at Night on Nakanocho in the Yoshiwara from the Famous places in the Eastern Capital, Edo period (c.1832–39)

The main street in the Edo’s red-light district, Shin Yoshiwara, was lined with different flora in different seasons, and in spring it was cherry. The ambiance is light and bright among the courtesans and men, passing under the full moon and blossoming cherry trees.