The Sixty-Nine Stations of the Kiso Highway: Shionata 1797 - 1858

This is Utagawa Hiroshige’s woodblock print, Shionata, from the series *The Sixty-Nine Stations of the Kiso Highway*. Created during Japan’s Edo period, this print offers a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people along this major trade route. You see laborers bearing heavy loads, their bodies bent under the weight, and others seeking rest and refreshment at a roadside teahouse. What strikes me is the intimacy Hiroshige captures in the midst of this bustling scene. The figures aren’t idealized; they appear worn, yet there’s a sense of dignity in their daily lives. The choice to depict these common moments speaks to the artist's attentiveness to the pulse of the society he inhabited, while subtly acknowledging class and labor. The artwork invites us to reflect on the stories of those whose lives were intertwined with the Kiso Highway.