Illustrated Guide to the Ise Pilgrimage (Ise sangÅ« meisho zue), appendix vol. 1, part 1 Possibly 1797 - 1799

Curator: This is a page from Shitomi Kangetsu’s "Illustrated Guide to the Ise Pilgrimage," an appendix volume held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first impression is of bustling movement. The ships seem full of people, headed somewhere important. Curator: Indeed. The Ise pilgrimages were significant social events. Commoners, often organized in groups, traveled to the Ise Grand Shrine. Guidebooks like this one provided not just directions, but also cultural context. Editor: The ship itself is a fascinating symbol. Note how it bridges the earthly realm of travel with the sacred destination. The waves, almost like stylized clouds, suggest a journey both physical and spiritual. Curator: The pilgrimage was, in many ways, a sanctioned form of travel and social mixing for commoners in a hierarchical society. Editor: Looking closer, it's interesting how the artist balanced the depiction of the landscape with the human element. Curator: A testament to the democratization of spiritual experience during this period. Editor: It's a powerful reminder of how art captures journeys, both outward and inward.