Mishima 1855

This woodblock print "Mishima," by Utagawa Hiroshige captures a bustling scene in a post town along the Tōkaidō road. Dominating the foreground, we see a torii gate, a traditional Japanese symbol marking the entrance to a sacred space. Such gateways, derived from ancient ritual practices, appear in Shinto shrines, delineating the mundane from the divine. Yet, the torii's form transcends its immediate religious context. We can trace similar arched structures back to the triumphal arches of ancient Rome, symbols of imperial power and victory. Over time, these arches transformed into gateways leading to cathedrals and palaces, each iteration imbued with layers of meaning. Here, the torii suggests a transition, a crossing into a space imbued with both spiritual and secular significance. The cyclical recurrence of this symbol—from Roman triumphs to Shinto shrines—reveals its enduring ability to evoke powerful emotions and mark significant cultural thresholds.