Foreign Business Establishment in Yokohama (Yokohama ijin shōkan shashin no zu) 1861

"Foreign Business Establishment in Yokohama" (1861) by Utagawa (Gountei) Sadahide depicts the entrance to a foreign business establishment in Yokohama, Japan. The bustling scene showcases both Japanese and foreign figures, a testament to the growing influence of Western culture in Japan during the late Edo period. Sadahide, a prominent ukiyo-e artist, skillfully captures the details of clothing and architecture, showcasing the curiosity and fascination surrounding the newly arrived Westerners. This triptych, currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, exemplifies the genre of "gaikokujin-e," a style of Japanese woodblock printing focusing on Westerners and their influence on Japanese life.