Kuwana: Ferryboats at Chichiri (Kuwana, Shichiri no watashibune) from the Series 53 Stations of Tokaido
Classification
landscapes
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of the Estate of Mrs. Robert H. Patterson
Accession Number
1941-31-238
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Ando Hiroshige (1797–1858), a master of Japanese ukiyo-e art, captures the bustling energy of travel in *Kuwana: Ferry at Chichiri (Kuwana, Shichiri no watashibune, the 45th print in his renowned series *53 Stations of the Tōkaidō*. Created during the Edo period (1603–1868), this landscape depicts ferryboats crossing the vast Ise Bay near Kuwana station, a stop on the historic Tōkaidō road linking Edo (modern Tokyo) to Kyoto. Travelers relied on these ferries to navigate the perilous seven-ri (about 27 kilometers) stretch of water, highlighting the era's dependence on coastal routes for pilgri...