Otori Shrine 

Utagawa Hiroshige made this woodblock print, "Otori Shrine," in Japan during the Edo period. It encapsulates many aspects of the era's social and cultural landscape. The image frames a view of a procession heading toward the shrine, as seen through a window where a cat sits, its gaze fixed on the outside world. This hints at the rising merchant class and their growing participation in religious festivals, like the one at Otori Shrine. Urban populations were increasingly engaging in leisure activities and religious practices that had once been the preserve of the aristocracy. Consider the details of daily life and religious observance that historians piece together from such artworks. Research into festival culture, class dynamics, and even the symbolism of cats in Edo society helps us understand the deeper meanings embedded in this seemingly simple print. "Otori Shrine" offers a rich historical text open for interpretation.