Sakaichō Fukiyachō Kaomise Yoshibai no Zu 1770 - 1790

Utagawa Toyoharu made this color woodblock print depicting the Sakaichō and Fukiyachō theater district in Edo, Japan. Toyoharu was a founder of the Utagawa school and this print demonstrates his engagement with Western perspective, a technique that had become popular in Japan. Here we see a crowd gathered outside the theaters of the pleasure district to see the actors performing the annual “face-showing” ceremony. This kind of spectacle was a crucial part of Edo popular culture, as the Kabuki theaters played a significant role in the city’s economy and social life. The print flattens the social hierarchy, from the samurai to the merchants and other commoners, that came to see the shows. In woodblock prints like this, we have a clear visual record of Edo period culture. By studying objects like this, in conjunction with other historical sources, we can come to a better understanding of the social world of Tokugawa Japan.