Evening Amusements at Ryogoku in the Eastern Capital (Toto Ryogoku yoasobi no zu) 1859

Toyohara Kunichika created this woodblock print, Evening Amusements at Ryogoku in the Eastern Capital, in Japan in the late 19th century. It’s an evocative image that reflects the social life and popular entertainments of Edo-period Tokyo. The print depicts a stylish woman, likely a courtesan, enjoying an evening stroll with an attendant along the Sumida River. The riverbank at Ryogoku was a well-known entertainment district, and Kunichika captures the vibrant atmosphere through the lanterns, the boats on the river, and the lively figures in the background. Woodblock prints like this one were commodities that circulated in urban centers, and their popularity reveals an emerging consumer culture. They often served as promotional material for popular theaters, restaurants, or pleasure districts, and their popularity can be seen as a challenge to strict social hierarchies of the time. Understanding Kunichika’s art requires looking into historical documents, such as theater programs, restaurant guides, and government records to give us a better sense of the cultural landscape that shaped these images.