One Hundred Famous Views of Edo explained

Image Upright:1
The Plum Garden in Kameido
Artist:Hiroshige
Year:1856–58
Type:ukiyo-e
Metric Unit:cm
Imperial Unit:in

One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (in Japanese: 名所江戸百景|Meisho Edo Hyakkei) is a series of 119 ukiyo-e prints begun and largely completed by the Japanese artist Hiroshige (1797–1858). The prints were first published in serialized form in 1856–59, with Hiroshige II completing the series after Hiroshige's death. It was tremendously popular and much reprinted.

History

Hiroshige produced designs in the style of the Utagawa school, a 19th-century popular style in woodblock prints, much favoured during his lifetime. Increasingly large series of prints were produced. This trend can be seen in Hiroshige’s work, such as The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō and The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaidō.

Many publishing houses arose and grew, publishing both books and individual prints. A publisher's ownership of the physical woodblocks used to print a given text or image constituted the closest equivalent to a concept of "copyright" that existed at this time.

Woodblock prints such as these were produced in large numbers in 18th- and 19th-century Japan, created by artists, block cutters and printers working independently to the instructions of specialist publishers. Prints such as these were called ukiyo-e, which means 'pictures of the floating world'. This world was one of transient delights and changing fashions centred on the licensed pleasure districts and popular theatres found in the major cities of Japan.

In the years 1829–36, a seven volume illustrated guidebook Pictures of famous places of Edo (Japanese: 江戸名所図会, Edo meishō zue) was published. It was begun by Saitō Yukio (1737–1799) in 1790 and illustrated very accurately by Hasegawa Settan (1778–1848). The pictures and text describe the important temples and shrines, but also the famous stores, restaurants, tea-houses etc. of Edo as well as the Sumida river and its channels and surrounding landscape.

Hiroshige, in several cases, makes use of this guide for his series of colour prints (see below and within the list). His series covered the place too which the guide didn’t describe, and he drew casual views of Edo.[1] [2] [3] His series is a work that inspired a number of Western artists, including Vincent van Gogh, to experiment with imitations of Japanese methods.[4] Elements of Hiroshige's work can be found in Western cinema and comics produced during the 20th-century, particularly The Adventures of Tintin, and they "profoundly influenced" the development of modernism.[5]

The series uses a vertical format which Hiroshige pioneered in his preceding series, Famous Views of the Sixty-odd Provinces, and was a departure from the horizontal format used in his previous major print series.

Prints

Key

No.TitleDepictedRemarksDateLocation <--Object location-->Image
data-sort-value="0"Table of ContentsAbbreviated titles of prints arranged by season: two boxes at top are spring, fan-shaped box is summer, bottom right box autumn and bottom left are winter prints
1Nihonbashi, Edo Castle, Mount Fuji
35.684°N 139.7744°W
2Street (today Kasumigaseki-zaka), guardhouse of residence of Asano, barracks of samurai of the Kuroda clan, Edo BayKadomatsu gate pines and manzai dancers indicate a setting around New Year; kite with Japanese character for fish (Jap. "sakana") is a reference to the publisher of the series, Sakanaya Eikichi
35.6757°N 139.749°W
3Residence of daimyō Nabeshima Kansō from the Saga Domain, outer moat of Edo Castle, Mount FujiKadomatsu pine, hagoita and kites indicate a setting around New year
35.6722°N 139.761°W
4Eitai Bridge, Sumida River, fishing boats of TsukudajimaAn almost identical composition titled Eitaibashi by Hiroshige exists in the second volume of his "Illustrated Souvenirs of Edo"
35.6776°N 139.7874°W
5Drum tower of Ekō-in, Honjo neighbourhood, Sumida River, residence of Matsudaira feudal lor of Tanba, Mount FujiDrum tower was associated with sumo tournaments held at Ekō-in; for marketing purposes the print appeared two months after a popular major exhibition of temple treasures at Ekō-in
35.6933°N 139.7919°W
6Hatsune Riding Ground and district's fire watch towerDyers of Konya-chō district using riding grounds to dry their cloths
35.6946°N 139.7831°W
7Street scene with geishas, cotton shops in Ōdenma-chō
35.6885°N 139.7764°W
8Mitsui (yagō: Echigoya) textile stores, Mount FujiEchigoya later became the Mitsukoshi department store chain whose modern day headquarters are located on the left side of the street in the print
35.6863°N 139.7739°W
9Yatsukōji junction, Kanda River, Kanda ShrineOne of the few open spaces in Edo, created as fire-breaks
35.6974°N 139.7692°W
10Kanda ShrineProbably produced as a souvenir of the shrine festival in memory of the Battle of Sekigahara celebrated on the 15th day of the 9th month
35.7019°N 139.7679°W
11Kiyomizu Hall of Kan'ei-ji, Moon Pine, Shinobazu PondDepicted pines are in reality much smaller
35.7126°N 139.7736°W
12Iseya restaurant, templesPublished in the month after Hiroshige's death; composition probably based on his sketches but probably completed by Hiroshige II
35.7106°N 139.7735°W
13Hirokōji ("Broadway"), premises of textile retailer MatsuzakayaPublished in the same month in which the depicted Matsuzakaya store re-opened after the 1855 earthquake
35.7071°N 139.7727°W
14Temple GardensDepicts cherries and azaleas in bloom while in reality they bloom at different times of the year
35.7311°N 139.766°W
15Suwa Myōjin Shrine grounds, Mount Tsukuba
35.7309°N 139.7671°W
16Cherry orchard, Pavilion of the Violet Spring (Shisentei)The print is a reference to the reconstruction of the Shisentai after the 1855 earthquake and to Tokugawa Iesada's visit to the park two months prior to publication
35.7251°N 139.7612°W
17Asukayama Park, Mount TsukubaPossibly inspired by Tokugawa Iesada's visit to the park two months prior to publication
35.7514°N 139.7383°W
18Ōji Inari Shrine, Mount Tsukuba
35.7561°N 139.7333°W
19Otonashi River, Amida Hall of Kinrin-ji temple, Takata-chōLikely created to mark Tokugawa Iesada's visit to Kinrin-ji (Ōji Shrine) and Takata on the 21st day of the first month (also see no. 115, 116)
35.7522°N 139.7358°W
20Arakawa River, Zenkō-ji templeA year after Hiroshige designed the print, the Buddha in the Amida Hall at the top was due to be exhibited publicly for the first time in 13 years; in a pun Hiroshige covered the hall of this "secret Buddha" with the title cartouche
35.7939°N 139.7213°W
21Atago Shrine, Edo BayScene depicts an emissary from Enpuku-ji temple who on every third day of the year performs a ceremony at Atago Shrine for good fortune, health and success and to avert hunger and disease; the large rice paddle in his hand symbolizes abundance, the seaweed around his neck was distributed after the ceremony among the faithful who used it to brew an infusion against colds
35.6648°N 139.7484°W
22Furukawa River, "Fox" (kitsune) restaurant
35.6471°N 139.7316°W
23Chiyogaike PondFeature a — for the time — unusual depiction of reflections of the trees in the water
35.6375°N 139.7128°W
24Mita Aqueduct, Mount Fuji replica, Mount FujiSubject is a replica (one of many) of Mount Fuji erected in 1829 by Fuji worshippers
35.6435°N 139.7049°W
25Mount Fuji replica, Mount FujiFuji replica erected in 1812 was at 12m (39feet) the tallest in Edo; this print was incorrectly placed in the spring section of the table of contents since the depicted cherry trees are in autumn foliage; spelling of "Fuji" in the title as is thought to be a pun on the doubling of the mountain
35.6467°N 139.701°W
26Tōkaidō, Edo BayDepicts a popular viewpoint of Edo Bay; according to legend, Minamoto no Yoshiie hung his armour on this tree in 1062; Hiroshige adapts the shape of the tree so that only a giant could have hung his armour on it
35.5885°N 139.7269°W
27Plum Orchard in Kamada
35.5647°N 139.7269°W
28Palace HillDepicts both a famous cherry blossom spot and the destruction of the landscape after removal of earth; the earth was used to build ramparts (daiba) in the sea following Commodore Perry's arrival in Edo Bay in 1853

35.621°N 139.7395°W
29Torii of Moto-Hachiman Shrine, Edo Bay
35.6693°N 139.8377°W
30Plum Park in KameidoBoth in color and theme this print is related to print no. 27 (Plum Orchard in Kamada); copied by Vincent van Gogh under the title Japonaiserie: Flowering Plum Tree
35.7045°N 139.8239°W
31Azuma Shrine
35.7055°N 139.8268°W
32Myōken Hall of Hōshō-ji temple, Hashimotoya restaurant ("At the Foot of the Bridge"), Mount Tsukuba
35.7076°N 139.8183°W
33Yotsugi-dōri Canal towpathUnlike in the print, the canal and towpath were absolutely straight
35.7355°N 139.8344°W
34Sumida River, San'ya Canal inlet, Yumeiro and Takeya restaurants, Matsuchiyama hill, Shōten ShrineOnly image in the series to depict a large human figure, purportedly the favourite geisha of Hiroshige; Shōten Shrine on the top of the hill has sexual connotations
35.7159°N 139.8065°W
35Cherry tree trunk, Suijin Shrine, Sumida River, Massaki district, Mount TsukubaPeople at the bottom of the print are on the way to the Hashiba ferry (see no. 37)
35.7328°N 139.8127°W
36Sumida River, Suijin Shrine, Massaki district, Mount TsukubaSimilar subject and location as no. 35
35.7297°N 139.8084°W
37Kilns, Sumida River, Suijin Shrine, Mount TsukubaSimilar area as no. 35, 36
35.7281°N 139.8097°W
38YoshiwaraPublished two months prior to the reopening of Yoshiwara after it burnt down in the 1855 earthquake; Hiroshige may have submitted this design and title following the suicide of two courtesans and their two lovers at dawn of the 19th day of the 4th month of 1857
35.7242°N 139.7961°W
39Sumida River, Azuma Bridge, Kinryūzan Temple, Mount Fuji
35.7144°N 139.8042°W
40Sekiguchi Aqueduct, Bashō's Hermitage
35.7123°N 139.7235°W
41Ichigaya moat, shopping street, Hachiman ShrineDated one month after Hiroshige's death and therefore attributed to Hiroshige II by some art historians
35.6927°N 139.7338°W
42Actually, the Tama River-Jōsui channel is depicted, with cherry trees far outside EdoOne of the first five prints sanctioned by the censors
35.6893°N 139.7022°W
43Nihonbashi, Nihonbashi River, EdobashiFish barrel with first bonito of the season represents early summer
35.6842°N 139.7747°W
44Nihonbashi itchōme StreetShirokiya shop on the right developed into one of the city's largest department stores and finally became part of the Tokyu Group
45 (62)Yatsumi Bridge, Edo Castle, Mount Fuji
46 (45)Nihonbashi River, Yoroi ferry
47 (46)Shōhei Bridge, Shōheizaka hill, Kanda River, wall of Yushima SeidōExaggerated size of hill on left
35.6983°N 139.7689°W
48 (63)View from Surugadai, Kanda River, Suidō Bridge, Edo Castle, Mount FujiKoinobori carp streamers place the scene around the Boy's festival on the 5th day of the 5th month, the same month as the print was approved by the censors
35.7021°N 139.7553°W
49 (47)Fudō Falls
35.7517°N 139.7335°W
50 (64)Kumano Jūnisha Shrine
35.6904°N 139.6882°W
51 (65)Moat and Hanzōmon Gate of Edo CastleSannō Festival was held one month prior to the approval of the print
35.6814°N 139.7449°W
52 (48)Paulownia Garden, Tameike Pond, Hie Shrine, residence of daimyō Kuroda from FukuokaHie Shrine is location for the Sannō Festival (see no. 51)
35.6742°N 139.7379°W
53 (49)Zōjō-ji, Akabane Bridge, residence of daimyō Arima from Kurume
35.6546°N 139.7475°W
54 (66)South-west embankment and moat of Edo Castle, residence of daimyō Ii from the Hikone Domain, Kōjimachi watchtowerKōjimachi watchtower had been restored two months prior to publication after burning down in the 1855 earthquake
35.6773°N 139.7506°W
55 (50)Tsukudajima IslandThe Sumiyoshi Festival is held on the 29th of the sixth month, i.e., in the month prior to publication of this print; writer of the inscription is identified on the banner as the creator of the table of contents of this series, Seikengū Gengyo
35.668°N 139.7833°W
56 (51)Mannen Bridge, Mount FujiA turtle hanging from tub's handle use for Life release.
35.6835°N 139.7941°W
57 (67)Sumida River, Mount FujiReed-covered sandbank alludes to the artificial Nakazu island, location of a famous 18th-century pleasure district that was demolished in the course of the Kansei Reforms
35.682°N 139.7908°W
58 (52)Shin-Ōhashi bridge, Sumida River, Atake districtConsidered to be a masterpiece and possibly Hiroshige's most famous work; copied by Vincent van Gogh
35.6853°N 139.7931°W
59 (53)Sumida River, Ryōgoku BridgeAt the time Japan's largest bridge35.6931°N 139.7877°W
60 (68)Sumida River, Mount TsukubaDepicts pilgrimage to Mount Ōyama, the pilgrim's return from the mountain is shown in no. 76; names in title are synonymous names for the depicted section of the Sumida River; in later prints, the title was simplified to: In Boats at Ryōgoku with a distant View of Asakusa
35.694°N 139.7879°W
61 (54)Sumida River, Oumayagashi ferryHiroshige's "Illustrated Souvenirs of Edo" contains a mirror image of this view with a woman standing upright in the boat
35.7006°N 139.7922°W
62 (55)Komakata Hall, Sumida River, Azuma Bridge, Asakusa districtLesser cuckoo (hototogisu) and Komakata Hall in the print allude to a 17th-century love poem attributed to Takao II, courtesan and lover of Date Tsunamune: Are you now, my love, near Komakata? Cry of the cuckoo!"[8]
35.709°N 139.7968°W
63 (69)Sumida River, Ayase RiverNorthernmost point of the Sumida river depicted in this series
35.7397°N 139.8153°W
64 (56)Horikiri Iris GardenInfluenced European Art Nouveau
65 (57)Drum bridge and garden at Kameido Tenjin ShrineFlowering wisteria indicates summer season
35.7022°N 139.821°W
66 (70)Sazaidō Hall
35.6896°N 139.8267°W
67 (58)Nakagawa River
35.6951°N 139.8476°W
68 (59)Garden at Hachiman ShrinePrint shows both azaleas and cherry trees in blossom which is unnatural for Edo; hill in the back is one of many miniature Mount Fuji that were scattered all over Edo
35.6731°N 139.7975°W
69 (71)Sanjusangendō, Kiba lumberyards (see no. 106)About half of the hall is depicted
35.6716°N 139.8015°W
70 (60)Onagigawa Canal, Nakagawa River, Shinkawa CanalNakagawa River is the broad waterway in the middle running left-right[9]
35.6864°N 139.8467°W
71 (61)Tone River
35.6778°N 139.8864°W
72Tama River, Benten Shrine, Edo BayThe ground of the Benten Shrine is now occupied by Haneda Airport
35.5433°N 139.7431°W
73Edo Castle, Mount FujiArguably shows the view from Hiroshige's house; only print in series without a place name in the title
35.6781°N 139.7725°W
74Daimaru silk merchant shopsPeople depicted are carpenters
35.6906°N 139.7803°W
75Kanda dye works, Edo Castle, Mount FujiKanji on first two white-blue fabrics reads "sakana" and is a reference to the publisher Sakanaya Eikichi, last two white-blue fabrics contain Hiroshige's monogram
35.6917°N 139.7744°W
76Kyōbashi River, Kyōbashi Bridge
35.6751°N 139.769°W
77Hatchōbori Canal, Minato Shrine, Inari Bridge, Mount Fuji
35.6738°N 139.7801°W
78Sumida River, Tsukiji Hongan-ji TempleLike no. 79, this print has the changed series title: Entertaining Supplements to the One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, as likely Hiroshige wanted to end this series having produced 110 plates already at the time; he resumed the original title on the publisher insisting to do so
35.6667°N 139.7807°W
79Shiba Shinmei Shrine, Zōjōji
35.6569°N 139.7542°W
80Kanasugi BridgePrint shows pilgrims of the Nichiren sect; brown and white cloths at bottom left contain abbreviation "Uoei" of the publisher's name Sakanaya Eikichi
35.6531°N 139.7541°W
81Tōkaidō, Edo Bay with daibaPlace name Takanawa meaning "high wheel" is symbolized by the wheel on the right and the rainbow
35.6383°N 139.7397°W
82Edo BayApproximately same view as no. 83
35.6219°N 139.7404°W
83Meguro River, Benten Shrine, Edo Bay with daibaEstablishment depicted in no. 82 might be the one cropped in the bottom left of this print
35.6213°N 139.7423°W
84Teahouse and teastall, Mount Fuji
35.6402°N 139.7091°W
85outer Benkeibori moat of Edo CastlePeople depicted are samurai
35.6796°N 139.7325°W
86Naitō Shinjuku (first station of the Kōshū Kaidō)Depiction of horse dung was criticized for being vulgar; Hiroshige likely alludes to the quote: "flowers thriving on the horse dung of Yotsuya" from the 1775 book Master Flashgold's Splendiferous Dream referring to the prostitutes of Shinjuku
35.6898°N 139.7071°W
87Benten Shrine, Inokashira PondDepicts most western point of the series and location furthest away from central Edo
35.6995°N 139.5748°W
88Takinogawa, Matsubashi Benten Shrine, Kongo-ji TempleOriginal orange color of autumn color has turned brownish-black due to oxidation over time
35.752°N 139.7299°W
89Moon Pine, Shinobazu Pond, Benten Shrine
35.7125°N 139.7731°W
90Saruwaka-chō street with theatresNotable for the use of peoples' shadows giving the impression of puppets on a stage; the street was home to the Kabuki and marionette theatres
35.7175°N 139.8009°W
91Garden of Akiba ShrinePeople depicted in the bottom left might be Hiroshige as a monk with painting utensils,[10] his wife Yasu and their adopted daughter Tatsu according to Henry D. Smith
35.7169°N 139.8129°W
92Uchigawa inlet of Sumida River, Uekiya Han'emon restaurantThe Mokuboji temple mentioned in the title is close but not depicted in this print; Tokugawa Iesada had visited the restaurant one month before publication of the print
35.7339°N 139.8143°W
93Nakagawa RiverNortheasternmost scene of the series confirmed by detailed depiction of the Edo side of the river and vagueness on the opposite bank
35.7632°N 139.8543°W
94Edogawa River, Tekona Shrine, Tsugihashi BridgeOriginal orange color of autumn color has turned brownish-black due to oxidation over time
35.7383°N 139.9092°W
95Tone River (today Edogawa), Mount Fuji
35.7478°N 139.8975°W
96branch of the Edogawa River, Horie and Nekozane villages, Edo Bay, Mount FujiOne of the first five prints sanctioned by the censors
35.6592°N 139.8969°W
97Onagi CanalTree depicted is the only surviving of five pines and was at the time of Hiroshige known as "Five Pines"; Onagi Canal was in fact straight
35.6851°N 139.8181°W
98Sumida River, Ryōgoku Bridge
35.6936°N 139.7888°W
99Kaminarimon, Hōzōmon and pagoda of Sensō-jiThought to commemorate the restoration of the pagoda two month prior to the publication of the print after damage suffered in the 1855 earthquake
35.7111°N 139.7964°W
100Nihon Embankment, Yoshiwara
35.7246°N 139.7973°W
101Yoshiwara teahouse, Chōkoku-ji temple (Ōtori Shrine), Mount FujiWhite cat represents courtesan who just finished her work; the festival of the rooster is hinted at by bear's paw hairpins resembling the good luck rakes carried by pilgrims in the background
35.7225°N 139.7919°W
102Minowa, Kanasugi and Mikawashima villages
35.7319°N 139.7794°W
103Arakawa River, Senju Great BridgeOne of the first five prints sanctioned by the censors
35.7394°N 139.7975°W
104Yotsugi dōri Canal (see no. 33)
35.7106°N 139.8083°W
105Sumida RiverThe two women are yotaka (night hawks), the lowest class of prostitutes whose faces were often disfigured forcing them to apply very thick make-up
35.7037°N 139.7938°W
106Fukagawa LumberyardsCharacter for "sakana" on the umbrella refers to Sakanaya Eikichi, the publisher of the series
35.6764°N 139.8083°W
107Mount Tsukuba
35.6661°N 139.809°W
108Hamarikyu Gardens, daiba, Edo BayOne of the first five prints sanctioned by the censors
35.6589°N 139.7686°W
109Edo Bay, Kaian-ji temple, Mount TsukubaFishermen gather seaweed from submerged tree trunks
35.6064°N 139.7453°W
110Senzoku no ike, "Robe-Hanging Pine", Hachiman ShrineOne of the first five prints sanctioned by the censors; Nichiren is said to have hung his monk's robe on this pine while resting
35.6013°N 139.6917°W
111Drum Bridge, Meguro RiverPublication date of this and three other prints (no. 24, 25, 84) depicting Meguro coincides with the exhibition of a Fudō Myōō icon
35.6323°N 139.7122°W
112Yabu Lane, residences of the daimyōs Katō from Minakuchi and Hijikata from Komono, gate of Atago ShrineYabu Lane is to the far right beyond the bamboo thicket lining it
35.6681°N 139.7507°W
113Aoi Slope, moat
35.6696°N 139.7477°W
114Bikuni Bridge, outer moat of Edo CastleBelieved to be created by Hiroshige II based on empty foreground, depiction of wall and schematic arrangement of snowflakes. Sign on left advertises "mountain whale" meat, referring to wild boar.
35.6759°N 139.7664°W
115Takata Riding Grounds
35.71°N 139.715°W
116Kanda River, Omokage Bridge, Hikawa rice field, Hikawa Shrine, Sugatami BridgeNotable for striking colors; Tokugawa Iesada crossed the Omokage Bridge in the publication month
35.7133°N 139.7143°W
117Yushima Tenjin Shrine, Shinobazu Pond, Kan'ei-ji
35.7075°N 139.7684°W
118Enoki tree
35.7564°N 139.7379°W
119Tameike PondWork by Hiroshige II; not always included in collections of One Hundred Famous Views of Edo; variously thought to be replacement print for no. 52, The Paulownia Garden at Akasaka, although its woodblock prints show significant wear indicating age. Alternatively a work on commission by Sakanaya Eikichi, celebrating Hiroshige II's adoption of his name and Hiroshige's seal
35.6776°N 139.7363°W

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. 江戸の人々の風景観に関する一考察:―浮世絵「名所江戸百景」をもとにして― . 人文地理学会大会 研究発表要旨 .
  2. 歌川広重の抱いた風景観に関する試論 . 京都大学学術情報リポジトリ .
  3. 広重の絵画空間(2) -「名所江戸百景」における地平線と視点の意味について- . Supplement .
  4. Tim Clark, "Hiroshige Utagawa", in Makers of Nineteenth-Century Culture, ed. Justin Wintle, vol. 2 (Routledge, 1981), pp. 292–93.
  5. News: Will . Heinrich . The Dazzling Artistry of Hiroshige's '100 Famous Views of Edo' . 26 July 2024 . The New York Times . 4 July 2024.
  6. The main order used in the table is according to (Smith (1986). One Hundred Famous Views of Edo.) and follows by reading the fan-shaped box for summer on the table of contents print in the way of "scattered writing" (chirashigaki), i.e. by grouping the titles in sets of three. The alternative order given in parentheses is generally found in early 20th century sources and follows by reading the fan shaped-box for the summer titles in the normal way, i.e. (vertical) line by line.
  7. For views that are not located within the modern Tokyo, the prefecture and city are listed.
  8. In Japanese poetry the cry of the cuckoo is a symbol of longing and loneliness.
  9. Its mouth (into Edo Bay) is not depicted in the print
  10. Hiroshige had become a monk in 1856.