Comment -A famous view with a bijin holding a folded fan in her right hand, showing the Edo side of the Nihonbashi Bridge (日本橋) towards Mount Fuji in the far distance. The city is developing to the horizon on the other side of the Edo River. A fire watchtower is to be seen amidds the rooftops. A blue bokashi sky and mist in the distance suggest e scene around sundown. The Bijin wears a kimono decorated with blossoming cherry branches. She seems to float on a white cloud like a classical fairy. Four Edo Kaku Kites (江戸角) are floating in the distance, the kite lines mimicking the slope of Mount Fuji. Busy business on and around the bridge, Nihonbashi is still a core business district of todays "Edo".

The Nihonbashi bridge first became famous during the 17th century, when it was the eastern terminus of the the Tōkaidō as Station No 1 in the series, with background based on Hiroshige's design for the First Tokaido. The road ran between Edo and Kyoto. During this time, it was known as Edo bashi, or "Edo Bridge." In the Meiji era, the wooden bridge was replaced by a larger stone bridge, which still stands today, but is overbuild by an ugly expressway, obscuring the classic view of Mount Fuji from the bridge. Nihonbashi is the point from which all distances are measured to the capital. All highway signs indicating the distance to Tokyo actually state the number of kilometres to Nihonbashi.

Series -  "Fifty-three Stations of the Tôkaidô Road" ("Tôkaidô gojûsan tsugi no uchi", "東海道五十三次之内") The series title is in the reddish cassete upper right, next to the green title cassette.


Artist - see Biography


Signature - Ôju Kôchôrô Kunisada ga (応需香蝶楼国貞画) lower right

Publisher - Moriya Jihei (森屋治兵衛) with his company's Kinshindō-seal; circular censor's seal (改印)  "kiwame" ("極") above the publishers mark on lower right

Image Size - 25.4 X 18.3 cm (10" x 7 15/64")

Condition - single panel; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); vertical chuban (ôban tate-e);