Artwork
東海道五十三次 四日市|Yokkaichi, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次 四日市|Yokkaichi, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road is an ink print by Utagawa Hiroshige. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Utagawa Hiroshige’s woodblock print titled *Yokkaichi* belongs to his extensive series *The Fifty‑three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road*. Executed in ink and color on paper, the image captures a tranquil riverside scene along the historic coastal route that linked Edo (now Tokyo) with Kyoto. The Metropolitan Museum of Art currently holds this work in its collection.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents travelers moving along a narrow path that runs beside a river, with a modest bridge foregrounding the scene. Lush trees line the way, and distant structures suggest a small settlement. The soft pink‑blue sky and the calm atmosphere convey a moment of everyday travel, emphasizing the ordinary rhythms of life along the Tōkaidō.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige employs traditional ukiyo‑e methods, carving separate blocks for line work and each color. Bold outlines define figures and architecture, while layered washes of pigment create atmospheric depth. Textural variation is achieved through cross‑hatching and fine brushwork, giving the foliage and water surface a sense of movement within the flat decorative surface.
History & Provenance
The print was produced in 1916 as part of Hiroshige’s larger Tōkaidō series, which documented each of the fifty‑three post stations along the route. After changing hands among private collectors, the piece entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s holdings, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s Japanese prints collection.
Context
While many ukiyo‑e works focus on urban entertainments, Hiroshige’s Tōkaidō series turns to the natural and cultural landmarks of the road itself. By portraying scenes such as Yokkaichi, the artist offers a visual travelogue that reflects both the geography and the social fabric of early‑modern Japan, bridging artistic tradition with documentary observation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Utagawa Hiroshige (歌川 広重) or Andō Hiroshige (安藤 広重), born Andō Tokutarō (安藤 徳太郎; 1797 – 12 October 1858), was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, considered the last great master of that tradition.
東海道五十三次 吉田|Yoshida, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次 四日市|Yokkaichi
東海道五十三次 白須賀|Shirasuka, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次 亀山|Kameyama, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次 宮|Miya, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次 袋井|Fukuroi, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次 鳴海|Narumi, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次 御油|Goyu, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次 赤坂|Akasaka, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次 岡崎|Okazaki, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road
東海道五十三次之内 藤川 棒鼻の図|Station Thirty-Eight: Fujikawa, Scene at the Border, from the Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido