100 Views of Edo # 36 by Ando Hiroshige

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

Woodblock Print Title: View from Massaki of Suijin Shrine

1st Publication: August 1857

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

Date of this edition: August 1857

Publisher: Uoya Eikichi

Condition: Some fading, partial trimming of the margin affecting the seals, a couple of small repairs in / near the right margin

More about this print: This scene in early spring looks out from the round window on the Sumida River from the second floor of a teahouse in front of the Massaki Inari Shrine. This restaurant may well be the "Kinoeneya," most famous for its "dengaku," small squares of skewered tofu, brushed with a sweet miso sauce and grilled over charcoal. The Uchigawa Inlet extends in the distance to the right. The area on the far side, below Mount Tsukuba, is the Sekiya no Sato, a name given for the countryside here. The popularity of Massaki Inari and that of the "dengaku" restaurants, within this area, began in 1757 and was still strong in Hiroshige's time.

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.