Hakone, 10th Station of the Tokaido 1834

This is "Hakone, 10th Station of the Tokaido," a woodblock print made by Utagawa Hiroshige in 19th century Japan. The series depicts scenes from the Tokaido Road, which connected Edo, now Tokyo, with Kyoto, the imperial capital. The image of travelers ascending the steep Hakone Pass illustrates the lived experience of people in this period. Hiroshige shows how geography shaped culture. The Tokaido road itself was a social institution as well as an economic one, enabling trade, communication, and cultural exchange. To understand this print, we can consult historical maps, travel logs, and economic data, all of which would reveal the complex social networks that crisscrossed Japan. Art, then, is not separate from lived experience, and historical research is a valuable tool. It can provide context that brings these images to life.