foreground. From it there is a view of the Shinobazu-no ike. Hiroshige depicted Kiyomizudo in spring, when it is literally swimming in white cherry blossom. The cherry trees, which had already been planted by the third shogun, Iemitsu, were a local prodigy and brought Ueno fame as the best place for the admiration of the spring blossom (hanami).
The Kiyomizudo Temple and Shinobazu Pond at Ueno
Ueno Kiyomizudo Shinobazu-no ike
April 1856
Colour woodblock print, 33.7 × 22.5 cm
Gift of Theodore Lande, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Vancouver
Yamashita, literally “below the hill”, was an area of wasteland at the foot of Ueno hill. It was supposed to serve as a fire-break and was deliberately created in 1737. In overpopulated Edo empty spaces were at a very high premium. Soon various eating-houses, wine-shops and restaurants appeared here (one of which is depicted on the right-hand side of the engraving). Directly beneath the suyarigasumi (white and pink stylised clouds), surrounded by trees lower down the slope stands a fairly small structure heralded by a torii gate. This is Gojo-tenjin, a Shinto shrine dedicated to Sugawara-no Mitizane (845–903), a minister and poet, the deified patron of scholars and students.
Yamashita at Ueno
Ueno Yamashita
August 1858
Colour woodblock print, 36 × 23 cm
Gift of Anna Ferris, Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York
Ueno hill was one of the main centres of attraction in the Eastern Capital. The word Shitaya (“lower valley”) was used to describe a fairly extensive area at the foot of Ueno Hill. A group of women carrying parasols is making its way up the middle of the hill. Most probably they are on a trip to admire the cherry blossoms at Kanyeiji. The women are followed by three samurai who wear European-style trousers. This trend began in the late 1850s and became almost the norm by the next decade, the start of the Meiji period (1868–1912) which saw the rapid penetration of western culture into all spheres of Japanese life.
Hirokoji Street in the Shitaya District
Shitaya hirokoji
September 1856
Colour woodblock print, 36 × 23 cm
Gift of Anna Ferris, Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York
Nippori was part of one of the quietest areas of the Eastern Capital, lying between Ueno and another hill. The name means “the village of life, day in, day out”, suggesting a calm, unhurried existence. Until the 1670s and 1680s, there was nothing remarkable about the place, but then several existing monasteries and Shinto shrines moved here and others were constructed. Hiroshige takes us to the Shushoin monastery belonging to the Nichiren school, which was founded in 1575 and moved to Nippori in 1668. The Shushoin monastery was a favourite place of relaxation among the inhabitants of Edo.
Landscaped Gardens at the Nippori Temple
Nippori jiin-no rinsen
February 1857
Colour woodblock print, 36 × 24 cm
Gift of Anna Ferris, Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York
Here we find ourselves in the grounds of the Shinto shrine Suwa-myojin, which was believed to protect two neighbouring places, Yanaka and Nippori. The latter appears in the print: a fairly steep slope leads to a group of buildings half-hidden by masses of cherry blossom. The Suwa-myojin shrine was founded in 1205. Later visitors were, to a large extent, attracted by the views to be had from the Suwanodai promontory. It is one of these views that Hiroshige presents.
Suwa Bluff at Nippori
Nippori Suwanodai
May 1856
Colour woodblock print, 36 × 24 cm
Gift of Anna Ferris, Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York
It is believed that the name Sendagi – “1000 Bundles of Firewood” – came from the trade practised by the local peasants: they cut firewood in the surrounding woods and then brought it to Edo, 1000 bundles at a time. This formerly rural area was only incorporated into the city in 1745.
In the upper part of the print a steep flight of steps, flanked by stone lamps and artificial rocks, leads to a tall pavilion. Space in this print is divided by stylised clouds like those frequently found in ancient Japanese painting.
The Pavilion of Flowers on Dangozaka Slope, the Sendagi Quarter
Sendagi Dangozaka Hanayashiki
May 1856
Colour woodblock print, 36 × 24 cm
Gift of Anna Ferris, Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York
Admiring the cherry blossoms was one of the most traditional and popular pastimes for the Japanese in the nineteenth century and remains so today. Four places were most frequented for hanami: Ueno, Gotenyama, the bank of the Sumidagawa and Asukayama, the hill depicted in this print. The name of the hill came from a small Shinto shrine that was founded as early as 1321–1324. Despite being over three miles from the centre of the city, it became one of the most popular places to spend time in the bosom of nature, particularly in the cherry blossom season.
The View North from Asukayama Hill
Asukayama kita-no chobo
May 1856
Colour woodblock print, 36 × 24 cm
Gift of Anna Ferris, Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York
Oji Inari-jinja was a well-preserved ancient shrine, dating back to before the Edo period. Inari, originally a harvest deity, was later redefined as the bringer of prosperity and success in one’s affairs, including commerce. Once a year, during the temple festival on the 1st Day of the Horse in the Second Month, the shrine was associated with something else. The day was known as the kite fair (tako-no ichi). This festival also had an agricultural origin, as a ritual to protect the coming harvest.
The Inari Shrine at Oji
Oji Inari-no yashiro
September 1857
Colour
