Comment - Beautiful design featuring the famous Tôtômi Kites of Fukuroi. Fukuroi is Station No. 28 of the Tôkaidô road. The scene is dominated by a big tree in the center, and two wayfarer on the right, and three kiting athletes left from the tree. The dominant upper right kite is a Fukuroi Circular kite (Fukuroi no Maru-dako, 袋井の丸凧), and an edo-kaku kite in the background center right. A strong kite line is tied to the trunk of the tree, the kite ist out of sight. The kite athletes are pulling on the same string, maybe handling another strong kite. A boy behind seems to tend the kite line, kite line basket, and kite spool leaning to the base of the tree.

The title of the print ((袋井, 五十三次. Fukuroi, Gojûsan tsugi) is writte upper left, below the blue bokashi sky. Green rice paddies line the way behind the tree, a light haze rises behind the fields on the horizon, indicated by a faint blue bokashi tint.

Series - The current portrait format 'Tokaido series' is commonly known as the "Jinbutsu Tokaido" series (人物 東海道) or 'Figure Tokaido' series. The designs mostly show people (人物, Jinbutsu) not as tiny decorations, but as important elements in the foreground. This edition is also called the 'Muraichi Tokaido', named after the publisher.  

The Gyosho-, Tate-e-, Reissho-, and this Jinbutsu Edition of "Famous Sights of the Fifty-three Stations" all contain kites from Fukuroi Station. For information about other series of Hiroshige, refer to HIROSHIGE's "Tokaido" and other Series.


Artist - see Biography


Signature -  unsigned; (in some copies the part cut block cutter's mark can be seen on the lower left margin)


Publisher - Murataya Ichigorô (村田屋市五郎), short form is Muraichi (村市) (seal name)

Image Size - chuban format; 25.0 x 17,5 cm   (9 7/8 x 6 7/8")

Condition - single sheet; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock);