Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) | Kumano Junisha Shrines in Tsunohazu (Tsunohazu Kumano Junisha, zokusho Juniso), also known as Juniso | Edo period, 19th century

The broad expanse of the pond is shown lined at its banks with tea stalls on stilts, a two-story restaurant, pine trees and a barren willow tree. Particular attention is notable here in the printing: the title cartouche uses fabric printing and there are bokashi [gradation] accents throughout the design in the tips of the trees, the roofs of the houses, the lower ground section, the sky and the warm light of sunset lingering over the opposite bank of the pond. All of this is in contrast with the wispy marks of the baren printing pad that appear as if etched in the waters.

The pond at Juniso was a locale for summer retreats and entertainment throughout the Edo (1603-1868) and Meiji (1868-1912) periods. The Kumano Shrine still survives today in the northwest corner of the Shinjuku Central Park (Shinjuku chuo koen), right in the heart of the Tokyo metropolis.

For a similar impression of the first state in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession number 11.16680, go to:

https://collections.mfa.org/objects/207356