Fuchū c. 1832 - 1833

This is "Fuchū," a woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige, created as part of the series "Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō," a meditation on travel in 19th century Japan. The print freezes a moment at the crossing of the Abe River. Hiroshige captures a tableau of human activity, as travelers and porters wade through the cool water. The figures, rendered with a delicate hand, convey a sense of labor and leisure. Notably, the print depicts a class divide, with some figures, likely of higher status, being carried across the river in a kago, or palanquin. What does it mean to move through a landscape? Hiroshige asks us to reflect on the physical, emotional, and social dynamics of travel. He reminds us that journeys, even those through the most picturesque landscapes, are always shaped by the realities of labor, class, and the body. The scene asks us to reflect on who has the luxury of being carried, and whose bodies bear the weight.