100 Views of Edo # 92 by Ando Hiroshige

Additional Pictures: Artist: Ando Hiroshige (1787-1858)

Woodblock Print Title: Mokubo-ji Temple, Uchigawa Inlet, Gozensaihata (Mokubo-ji Uchigawa Gozensaihata), from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo

1st Publication: 1857

Size: Vertical oban; 35.7 x 24.5 cm (14 1/16 x 9 5/8 in.)

Date of this edition: 1857

Publisher: Uoya Eikichi

Condition: Imperceptible foxing, small repair in the upper margin.

More about this print: Two well-dressed ladies disembark from the boat by which they have traveled up the Sumida River into the inlet known as Uchigawa. Their destination is one of Edo's famous suburban restaurants, seen in the upper right. Located within the precincts of Mokuboji Temple, which lies out of sight to the right, it specialized in dishes of taro and clams and was much prized among stylish residents of Edo. The area to the left with pines was known as Gozensaihata, or "The Honorable Vegetable Garden." Beginning in the 1650s, fresh vegetables for the shogun's table were produced there. It is unclear, however, if that practice still continued in Hiroshige's day.

Pictures: Pictures are taken outdoor, in the shade, to reflect true colors, without any enhancements of any kind. The last picture is taken indoor, with a light behind the print, to reveal the exact paper grain, holes if any, or other possible flaws.