Men Traveling the Utsu no Ya Pass/ Okabe, from the series Exhaustive Illustrations of the Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō gojÅ«santsugi ezukushi) Possibly 1810

Editor: This is Hokusai's "Men Traveling the Utsu no Ya Pass," a woodblock print. The travelers' heavy loads make me think about the physical realities of journeying. What stands out to you? Curator: The print highlights the material conditions of travel and trade. Notice how Hokusai depicts the porter's burden versus the attire of the seemingly wealthier travelers. It raises questions about labor, class, and consumption in Edo-period Japan, wouldn't you say? Editor: That's a fascinating point. I hadn't considered the class implications so directly. Thanks! Curator: Considering the production of the woodblock itself allows us to rethink common assumptions of fine art.