Hiroshige Utagawa, Japanese print, the fifty-three stations of the Tōkaidō, n°42 "Kuwana-juku"

Japanese landscape print by Utagawa Hiroshige entitled "Kuwana-juku", no. 42 in the series of the fifty-three stations of the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō gojūsan-tsugi). The colors are bright and fresh, the gradations of quality. This is a very fine reissue from the Shōwa era, produced using traditional Japanese printmaking methods, in accordance with the art of ukiyo-e. It's always very pleasant to feel the relief of the wooden ink pads as you pass your hand over this print, and photo 5 aims to show this relief and the quality of the washi paper used.
Very good condition, Shōwa Era, Japan.

Dimensions, ōban format, yuko-e orientation:
Height: 27 cm
Width : 40 cm

On the 42nd of 53 Tōkaidō stations:
Kuwana-juku was the forty-second stop among the fifty-three Tōkaidō stations in Japan. Nestled in the town of Kuwana, Mie prefecture, it stretched along the west bank of the Ibi River, representing the easternmost point where Kansai-ben, a local dialect, was spoken. Distant 28 km from Miya-juku, its predecessor, this station (shukuba) was anchored in the jōkamachi (castle town) of the Kuwana clan.

It provided a 28-km link to Miya-juku via the Shichiri no watashi pass, serving as a gateway for pilgrims heading to the Ise-jingū shrine. Some travelers opted for boat crossings from Miya-juku (now located near the Atsuta-jingū shrine in Nagoya) to Kuwana, reputed to make the journey across Ise Bay more pleasant.

In Edo times, Kuwana was located directly on the banks of the river. However, with the construction of Kuwana station by the Kansai Railroad, the town center moved westwards.

Ref: 675IRBFRZF