Japan: Minakuchi (水口). Station 50 of 'The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō' (Hōeidō edition), Utagawa Hiroshige (1833-1834)

Minakuchi: A solitary traveller walking through the village, where women are peeling and drying gourds; in the backgound a range of hills, printed in colour-block only.

This station located in a desolate rural area was famous for its production of dried gourd shavings for use on Japanese dishes. Women are busy making them: one is shaving a gourd, one is helping the shavers, and one is drying the shaved gourd on a rope.

Utagawa Hiroshige (歌川 広重, 1797 – October 12, 1858) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, and one of the last great artists in that tradition. He was also referred to as Andō Hiroshige (安藤 広重) (an irregular combination of family name and art name) and by the art name of Ichiyūsai Hiroshige (一幽斎廣重).

The Tōkaidō (東海道 East Sea Road) was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name.

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Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

Credit:

Pictures From History

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53 TOKAIDO STATIONS