Hamamatsu c. 1832 - 1833

This woodblock print, *Hamamatsu*, was created by Utagawa Hiroshige. Note the smoke rising in the center, a beacon of human activity. The smoke rising in Hamamatsu is not merely a physical phenomenon; it’s a symbol. It represents transformation and the ephemeral nature of life, carrying prayers and thoughts to the heavens. Consider how smoke appears in religious rituals across cultures. In ancient Greece, smoke from sacrifices was believed to carry prayers to the gods. Similarly, in Shinto practices, smoke from incense purifies and connects the earthly with the divine. The collective human subconscious recognizes smoke as a conduit. In this print, the smoke evokes a sense of communal gathering and transient existence. Like the smoke, the travelers are pausing, finding solace in each other’s company before continuing their journeys, a fleeting moment captured in time. The symbolism of smoke, therefore, has a cyclical progression, resurfacing in different contexts and evolving with new meanings.