Takahashi Shotei (Hiroaki, 1871-1945) | The Ayase River (Ayasegawa) | Taisho period, early 20th century

During the Taisho period (1912-1926), large scale flood control initiatives transformed the great rivers of Tokyo into narrow channels with concrete banks, a world away from the cherry blossoms and teahouses that lined the waterways of the prints of Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858). The decline of the rivers heralded the rise of utilitarian steel bridges, soon relegating the arched wooden bridges of the Edo period (1603-1858) a remnant of the past. Unsurprisingly, Watanabe Shozaburo’s (1885-1962) collaboration with Shotei fixated on these nostalgic riverways and canals of Edo in an attempt to capture such charm in their modern day.  

The source of the Ayase River is situated in Okegawa, Saitama Prefecture. It then joins with the Naka River in Katsushika, Tokyo, eventually flowing into the Arakawa River (see Lot 3). The course of the river was developed in the Edo period (1603-1868) when the city of Edo, modern-day Tokyo, was designated as the new capital. Here, a lady and child are seen walking along its steep banks with a lantern in hand. A full moon hovers beside towering branches of pine and a shadowy construction tower is visible in the distance.