77 Inari Bridge and the Minato Shrine in Teppōzu 1857

Utagawa Hiroshige made this woodblock print titled "77 Inari Bridge and the Minato Shrine in Teppōzu." The print shows a bridge over a river, with boats and people, with Mount Fuji visible in the distance. It invites us to consider the relationship between nature, urbanization and religion in 19th century Japan. Hiroshige worked within the ukiyo-e tradition, prints that captured "pictures of the floating world." This genre was popular among the merchant class in Edo-period Japan, where consumerism and urban culture flourished. What is striking is the framing of the scene through the wooden scaffolding. The placement creates a tension between the natural world and the built environment, as well as the sacred and the everyday. We might research the history of the Minato Shrine, or look at other examples of ukiyo-e prints, to understand the cultural values of the time. By studying visual culture we can gain access to the social, economic and political forces that shaped people’s lives.