Nihonbashi: Morning Scene - Utagawa Hiroshige

This woodblock print depicts the start of a journey from Edo to Kyoto. It features a daimyo procession and fishmongers at the Nihonbashi bridge during dawn.

Nihonbashi: Morning Scene is the opening print in Utagawa Hiroshige's series, The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō. Published by Hoeidō between 1833 and 1834, this work depicts the departure from Edo, the administrative capital of Japan. The bridge was the official starting point for the Tōkaidō road, the coastal route leading to the imperial capital in Kyoto. The composition captures the early morning activity at the bridge. In the centre, a daimyo procession begins its journey. Attendants carry tall poles topped with white feathers, indicating the high status of the lord. These figures move towards the viewer, crossing the wooden arched bridge. In the foreground, a group of fishmongers carries baskets of seafood from the nearby fish market. Their presence provides a look at the daily commerce of the city. Hiroshige used the bokashi technique to create the colour gradients in the sky. The transition from deep Prussian blue at the top to a pale orange at the horizon suggests the first light of dawn. The wooden gates of the bridge are open, marking the start of the day. A small dog appears in the lower right corner, adding a candid element to the formal procession. This print established Hiroshige as a leading landscape artist in the ukiyo-e genre. Unlike earlier artists who focused on the theatre or pleasure districts, Hiroshige documented the travel culture of the Edo period. The series became popular among a public interested in domestic tourism and the geography of Japan.