Kōya Jewel River in Kii Province c. 1835 - 1836

Utagawa Hiroshige created “Kōya Jewel River in Kii Province” with woodblock print, as part of “Sixty-odd Provinces” series in Japan. The woodblock print captures the landscape near Mount Kōya, a significant site in Japanese Buddhism. Mount Kōya was historically a space of religious practice and pilgrimage, but this print is a reflection of how landscape prints catered to the increasing interest in travel and leisure among the middle classes during the Edo period. Here the representation of the figures on their journey evokes a sense of personal exploration intertwined with cultural identity. The Jewel River, or Gyokugawa, is a visual metaphor that weaves the spiritual sanctity of Mount Kōya with the everyday lives of its visitors. Hiroshige's sensitive portrayal of the natural world invites viewers to reflect on their own place within the broader social and natural landscape. This print is not just a depiction of a place, but an emotional bridge connecting individual experience and collective identity.