View of Houses of Entertainment in Imado at Dawn 1879

Kobayashi Kiyochika made this woodblock print, “View of Houses of Entertainment in Imado at Dawn,” during the Meiji era, a time of rapid modernization in Japan. Kiyochika captured the atmosphere of a society in flux. Here, we see houses of entertainment, places of pleasure and perhaps intrigue, rendered with a unique blend of traditional Japanese techniques and Western influences. Kiyochika was known as the "last ukiyo-e master,” yet his work often incorporated elements of Western realism. The figures are blurred, almost anonymous, which evokes a sense of the fleeting nature of time and pleasure. What does it mean to pursue enjoyment, when it is known to be so ephemeral? The cool tones and the stillness of the early morning create a contemplative mood, inviting us to reflect on the changing social landscape of Meiji-era Japan, and perhaps the changing social landscape that persists to this day.