60 (68) Asakusa River, Miyato River, Great Riverbank 1857

Utagawa Hiroshige created this woodblock print of the Asakusa River in Japan as part of his 1858 series, One Hundred Famous Views of Edo. Considered one of the last great masters of ukiyo-e, pictures of the floating world, Hiroshige captured the mood of Edo, now Tokyo, at a time of rapid social and economic change. Woodblock prints, due to their accessibility, democratized art, offering glimpses into both the elite culture and everyday life. Here, the Asakusa River is bustling with activity, with boats carrying people, and what looks like the facade of a temple. For historians, the series provides a rich visual resource for understanding the social fabric of Edo. By studying these images alongside period texts, maps, and economic records, we gain insight into how people lived, worked, and moved through the city. Hiroshige’s prints serve as a reminder that art is deeply embedded in its social context and is invaluable for historical analysis.