Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) | Viewing Sunset over Ryogoku Bridge from the Onmaya Embankment (Onmayagashi yori Ryogoku-bashi no sekiyo o miru) | Edo period, 19th century

A group of strangers brought together on the Onmaya ferry gaze towards the distant silhouette of Mount Fuji, its shadowy cone rendered entirely in blue. A man at the prow huddles with his face beneath his straw hat, while another languidly dips his hand towel in the water. Most passengers have their backs turned to us, enjoying the expansive view of the Ryogoku Bridge – lit. ‘Two Countries' Bridge – arching dramatically over the Sumida River.

The ferry takes its name from Onmayagashi [lit. stable embankment], a reference to the government stables that once stood on the west bank of the Sumida River at Miyoshi-cho. Here, the boat departs from Ishiwari-cho in Honjo on the opposite, east bank.¹

Another impression of the same print is in the collection of the Honolulu Museum of Arts, object number 15929, go to:

https://honolulu.emuseum.com/objects/2361/viewing-sunset-over-the-ryogokubashi-from-the-onmaya-embankm?ctx=75b4ea61eef6ddeb0fe13c5591637eaf7b4123be&idx=1

A further impression is in the collection of the British Museum, museum number 1937,0710,0.140, go to:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1937-0710-0-140

The sale proceeds of this work will benefit The Egmont Trust. For more information about the charity please visit: https://www.egmonttrust.org.

1. Timothy Clark ed., Hokusai: Beyond the Great Wave (London, 2017), p. 129.