Minakuchi c. 1840 - 1842

This woodblock print, 'Minakuchi', was created by Utagawa Hiroshige, sometime before his death in 1858. Part of the series 'Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road', it depicts a post station on the highway between Kyoto and Edo, present-day Tokyo. The Tokaido Road was more than just a route; it was a crucial artery of Japanese society. The road facilitated the movement of people, goods, and, importantly, ideas. Hiroshige's series captures not just the landscape, but the bustling social life around it. The figures scurrying around the buildings, and the details of the architecture, together suggest the stratified society of the time, with its rigid social roles. Note the laborers, merchants, and travelers depicted here. Understanding the social and institutional history of the Edo period is key to interpreting this print. Detailed research into travel, commerce, and social customs offers a richer understanding of artworks like this, and the complex world they reflect.