Yamato Province: Yoshino, a Thousand Cherry Trees at One Glance (Yamato, Yoshino, ōju ichimoku senbon), cut from sheet 1 of the series Cutout Pictures of the Provinces (Kunizukushi harimaze zue) c. 19th century

Editor: So, this woodblock print is called "Yamato Province: Yoshino, a Thousand Cherry Trees at One Glance," by Utagawa Hiroshige. It's dreamlike! The blues and whites are so calming. What exactly is Hiroshige trying to tell us with this piece? Curator: Ah, Hiroshige. He's whispering secrets of fleeting beauty, isn't he? Look at how he uses the blossoms to almost create a cloud, obscuring and revealing the mountain behind. It’s not just a landscape, it's a meditation on impermanence, like holding a memory. The cherry blossoms, so stunning, are also such a short-lived explosion of color before they die, or they're swept away by the wind. What do you make of that stark contrast? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way, but you're right. It's beautiful, but also a little sad now that I think about it. Curator: Exactly! It's a perfect metaphor for life itself. Now, go contemplate cherry blossoms!