Fujisawa; Yugyôji [temple name] c. 1833 - 1834

Utagawa Hiroshige created this woodblock print titled "Fujisawa; Yugyôji" as part of a series called "Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido." During the Edo period, travel along the Tokaido road was not only a physical journey, but also a social experience. Hiroshige’s prints captured the essence of Japanese society by depicting ordinary people and landscapes. This image includes a diverse group of travelers crossing a bridge toward the Yugyôji Temple. The Torii gate at the entrance marks a transition from the secular world to the sacred, an experience imbued with the anticipation of spiritual renewal. But these images also capture an important power dynamic; in a society rigidly structured by class, travel was often restricted, which made these journeys both a privilege and a reflection of one's social standing. Hiroshige's emotional connection to the landscape invites us to consider the intersection of personal identity and broader social structures, how identity is not just formed by our own experiences, but also by the social, political, and cultural contexts in which we live.