49 (47) Fudō Falls in Ōji 1857

Utagawa Hiroshige created this woodblock print depicting Fudō Falls in Ōji. This print invites us to consider the intersection of nature, spirituality, and daily life in 19th-century Japan. During the Edo period, travel became more accessible, leading to a surge in landscape prints like this one. Hiroshige masterfully captures the sublime power of nature, which was often conflated with the divine. See how the waterfall becomes a sacred space as pilgrims seek spiritual purification beneath its cascading waters. The figures in the foreground remind us of the communal aspects of such journeys and pilgrimages. The figures provide a contrast to the grandeur of the falls. Hiroshige presents us with a scene that is both awe-inspiring and deeply personal.