No. 4, Kanagawa: View over the Sea from the Teahouses on the Embankment (Kanagawa, dai no chaya kaijō miharashi), from the series Famous Sights of the Fifty-three Stations (GojÅ«san tsugi meisho zue), also known as the Vertical Tōkaidō Possibly 1855 - 1857

Curator: Utagawa Hiroshige’s “No. 4, Kanagawa” is a fascinating print. What strikes you most about it? Editor: I’m really drawn to the tranquil atmosphere. The little tea house seems to offer a window onto daily life, and the sea suggests a connection to the wider world. How might this image speak to issues of class and leisure in 19th-century Japan? Curator: That's an insightful question. The teahouses themselves were spaces of social exchange, often tied to commercial networks. The print aestheticizes this reality, prompting us to consider who had access to such leisure and what that says about the socio-economic hierarchies of the time. Notice also the single boat with two rowers as opposed to those enjoying the view. Editor: It’s interesting to think about how this seemingly peaceful image could also reflect power dynamics. Thanks for helping me see it in a new light! Curator: And thank you for seeing the need for nuance. It’s a good reminder that art often operates on multiple levels.