Oiso, Odawara, Hakone, Mishima, Numazu 1840

Utagawa Kuniyoshi created this woodblock print of Oiso, Odawara, Hakone, Mishima, and Numazu. It is a landscape depicting travelers in the foreground with Mount Fuji in the background. The print belongs to the tradition of ukiyo-e, or “pictures of the floating world,” that flourished in Japan during the Edo period, from the 17th to the 19th centuries. During this time, Japan underwent rapid urbanization and commercial expansion, leading to the development of a vibrant popular culture. Ukiyo-e prints were a key part of this culture, reflecting the tastes and interests of the growing merchant class, and providing them with an aesthetic means of orienting themselves within it. The prints often depicted scenes from daily life, famous actors, beautiful women, and landscapes. This print, with its depiction of ordinary people traveling and enjoying the scenery, fits into this context. Historians would use prints like these, along with other documents and artifacts, to gain insight into the social, economic, and cultural life of Edo-period Japan.