Asakusa Imado, from the series "Famous Places in the Eastern Capital (Toto Meisho)" c. 1832 - 1833

"Asakusa Imado, from the series "Famous Places in the Eastern Capital (Toto Meisho)" is a woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi. During the Edo period, when Kuniyoshi was working, social mobility was restricted, and sumptuary laws reinforced class distinctions. Here, commoners are shown producing roof tiles, their labor supporting the rapidly growing city of Edo. Kuniyoshi uses the landscape, with its view of a distant Mount Tsukuba, to emphasize the scale of human activity. The print offers insight into the era’s gendered division of labor. While men are actively digging and moving materials, a woman is seen carrying tiles, suggesting a specific role for women in supporting the household economy. "Asakusa Imado" is not merely a scenic view; it’s a snapshot of Edo society, reflecting the complex interplay of class, labor, and gender that shaped daily life.