Hiroshige's 'Famous Places in the Eastern Capital'

Hiroshige's 'Famous Places in the Eastern Capital' (1831 - 1856)

The Prints

Many of the prints shown here were printed in multiple editions, at various times: the exact history, relationship of various publication instances, etc. is still being worked out. The dates shown on individual prints are therefore generally the date of the individual print illustrated, not the complete (as far as can be ascertained) publication history of that print.

Prints in all of the series covered here do not appear to have any numbers on them; any number given here (e.g. the 'ID' field, which is a database ID) is for local reference only.

To see a larger image of any print, please click on the thumbnail.

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - 1831

Characteristics: No title cartouche, title in right ground; writing in right margin
Publisher: Shōeidō (Kawashō - Kawaguchiya Shōzō)

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)
-#	Massaki boshun no kei	View of late spring [at] Massaki	ca. 1831-32	kiwame
-#	Ryōgoku no yoizuki	Evening Moon at Ryōgoku [Bridge]	ca. 1831-32	kiwame
-#	Takanawa no meigetsu	Full Moon at Takanawa	ca. 1831-32	kiwame
-#~248k367	Susaki yuki no hatsuhi	New Year Sun-rise with snow [at] Susaki	ca. 1831-32	kiwame
-#	Sumida-gawa haza-kura no kei	View of cherry-trees in leaf [on the] Sumida River	ca. 1831-32	kiwame
-#	Tsukuda-jima hatsu hototogisu	First cuckoo [at] Tsukuda Island	ca. 1831-32	kiwame
-#	Goten-yama no yūza-kura	Evening cherry-trees at Goten Hill	ca. 1831-32	kiwame
-#	Shinobu-gaoka hasu-ike no zu	View of the Lotus Pond [at] Shinobu Hill	ca. 1831-32	kiwame
-#	Shin-Yoshiwara asa-zakura no zu	View of cherry-trees [at] dawn [at the] New Yoshiwara	ca. 1831-32	kiwame
-#	Shiba-ura shiohi no zu	View of low tide [at] Shiba Bay	ca. 1831-32	kiwame

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Mid-1830's

Characteristics: Single vertical cartouche in right margin
Publisher: Kikakudō (Sanoki - Sanoya Kihei)

There are two editions of this series; the first edition is from the 1830s, and the second from the 1840s; the latter has censorship seals of the latter period.

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)	Comments
-#233k387	Kaian-ji kōyō no zu	View of Autumn foliage [at] Kaian Temple	ca. 1832-38	kiwame	An impression with a 'Tanaka' censor seal is also known.
-#In	Nagata-baba Sannō-gū	Sannō Shrine at Nagata riding grounds	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
-#In	Shiba Zōjō-ji sannai no zu	View of the precincts [of] Zōjo Temple [in] Shiba	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
-#!062k339	Suruga-chō no zu	View of the Suruga District	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
-#~34k268	Massaki yukibare no zu	View of clear weather after snow [at] Massaki	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
-#	Yoshiwara Naka-no-chō yozakura	Cherry-blossoms at night at Naka-no-chō [in the] Yoshiwara	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
-#	Asakusa Kinryūzan toshi no ichi gunshū	Crowds at the year-end market at Kinryūzan [Temple in] Asakusa	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
-#~~128k266	Takanawa no yūkei	Evening View of Takanawa	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
-#^In, 189k266	Gohyaku rakan Sazai-dō	The Spiral Hall [at the Temple of the] Five Hundred Arhats	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
-#!072k375	Shiba Akabane-bashi no zu	View of Akabane Bridge [in] Shiba	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
-#~~172k266	Nichō-machi shibai no zu	View of kabuki theatres [in the] Nichō District	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
-#181k266	Tōeizan no zu	View of Tōeizan [Temple at] Ueno	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
#In	Kanda Myōjin higashizaka	Eastern Approach to the Myōjin [Shrine in] Kanda	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
#~~127k266	Eitai-bashi Fukagawa shinchi	Eitai Bridge [and] new land at Fukagawa	ca. 1835-38	kiwame
#^258k279, #~287k293, #~~226k322	Ochanomizu no zu	View of Ochanomizu	ca. 1832-1839	kiwame
#^186k280, #132k266, #^198k297	Shiba Shinmei keidai	Precincts [of the] Shiba Shinmei [Shrine]	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
#	Nihon-bashi no hakuu	Rain shower at the Nihon Bridge	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
#195k300	Takanawa no zu	View of Takanawa	ca. 1835-38	kiwame

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Mid-late-1830's

Characteristics: Single squarish cartouche in ground
Publisher: Nunokichi

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)
-#!265k389	Shiba Shinmei sairei	Festival [at] the Shinmei [Shrine in] Shiba	ca. 1840-42	None
-#	Shiba Zōjōji setchū no zu	View of Zōjō Temple [at] Shiba in the Snow	ca. 1840-42	None
-#	Kanda Myōjin keidai yukibare no zu	View of clear weather after snow [in the] precincts [of the] Myōjin [Shrine in] Kanda	ca. 1840-42	None
-#~~65k287	Asuka-yama hana-zakari	[Cherry]-blossoms in full flower [at] Asuka Hill	ca. 1840-42	None
#~~91k281	Kasumigaseki yūkei	Evening view of Kasumigaseki	ca. 1840-42	None
#042k355	Shiba Atago-yama sanjō yori miharashi no zu	View of the outlook [from] the top [of] Atago Hill [in] Shiba	ca. 1840-42	None
#	Shin Yoshiwara Naka-no-chō yozakura	Cherry-blossoms at night [in] Naka-no-chō [in the] New Yoshiwara	ca. 1840-42	None
#77k287, #^~180k346	Takanawa tsuki-yo	Moonlit evening [at] Takanawa	ca. 1840-42	None
#!235k387	Asakusa Kinryūzan	Kinryūzan [Temple at] Asakusa	ca. 1840-42	None
#!236k389	Matsuchi-yama no zu	View of Matsuchi Hill	ca. 1840-42	None
#~56k285	Shiba Akabane Suiten-gū	Akabane [Bridge and] Suiten Shrine [in] Shiba	ca. 1840-42	None

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Late 1830's

Characteristics: No title cartouche, title in ground
Publisher: Shōeidō (Kawashō - Kawaguchiya Shōzō)

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)	Comments
-#	Ueno Tōeizan	Tōeizan [Temple in] Ueno	ca. 1839-42	kiwame
-#~24k313	Sumida-gawa hana-zakari	[Cherry-]blossoms in full flower [along the] Sumida River	ca. 1839-42	kiwame
-#215k390	Shin Yoshiwara Nihon-zutsumi Emon-zaka akebono	Dawn [on the] Emon Slope [and the] Nihon Embankment [near the] New Yoshiwara	ca. 1839-42	None
#	Takanawa yū-kei	Evening view of Takanawa	ca. 1843-47	None*	Apparently an impression is known with a censor seal, which is likely the source of the attribution as to the date
#!62k308	Nihon-bashi setchū	Nihon Bridge in snow	ca. 1839-42	None*	An impression is known with a Hama seal, dating it to 1843-46
#	Asuka-yama hanami	Cherry-blossom viewing [at] Asuka Hill	ca. 1839-42	kiwame
#~281k340	Goten-yama manka	[Cherry-trees in] full bloom [at] Goten Hill	ca. 1839-42	None

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Late 1830's

Characteristics: Single squarish cartouche in ground
Publisher: Unknown

This is likely part of the series above by Nunokichi.

Thumbnail	ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)	Comments
	-#	Ochanomizu	Ochanomizu	Late 1830's
	#^210k280, #!82k294	Gohyaku Rakan Sazai-dō	The Spiral Hall [at the Temple of the] Five Hundred Arhats	ca. 1840-42	None

Among Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Late 1830's

Characteristics: Single vertical cartouche in ground, text in ground
Publisher: Kikakudō (Sanoki - Sanoya Kihei)

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)
-#	Teppōzu Tsukuda shinkei	True view [of] Teppōzu [and] Tsukuda [Island]	ca. 1840-42	kiwame
-#	Shiba Shinmei sairei no zu	View of the festival [at the] Shimmei [Shrine in] Shiba	ca. 1840-42	None
-#!116k283	Asuka-yama hanami no zu	View of flower viewing [at] Asuka Hill	ca. 1840-42	None
#	Takanawa nijūroku-ya no zu	View of [Moon watching at] Takanawa [on the] twenty-sixth night	ca. 1840-42	None
#	Horinouchi Senbu mōde	[Going to the] Senbu ceremony [in] Horinouchi	ca. 1840-42	None
#	Ryōgoku hanabi no zu	View of fireworks [at] Ryōgoku [Bridge]	ca. 1840-42	None
#!160k289	Shin Yoshiwara Niwaka no zu	View of the Niwaka [festival in the] New Yoshiwara	ca. 1840-42	None
#	Shiba Zōjō-ji no zu	View of Zōjō Temple [in] Shiba	ca. 1840-42	None
#	Goten-yama hana-zakari no zu	View of [cherry-]blossoms in full flower [at] Goten Hill	ca. 1840-42	None
#!117k283	Yuki no asa Susaki no hatsu-hi[no]de	Sunrise on New Year's Day at Susaki, a snowy morning	ca. 1840-42	None

Among Assorted Hills [at] Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Late 1830's to Early 1840's

Characteristics: Single vertical cartouche with rounded top and inverse rounded bottom in right margin, text in ground Publisher: Kinkyōdō (Yamashō - Yamadaya Shōjirō)

Thumbnail	ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)	Comments
	#	Edomi-zaka no zu	Image of Edo-viewing Hill	ca. 1839-42	None

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Late 1830's to Mid-1840's

Characteristics: No title cartouche, title in ground
Publisher: Unknown

Thumbnail	ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)	Comments
	-#^207k280, #~~64k288	Takanawa no zu	View of Takanawa	ca. 1839-42

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Late 1830's to Mid-1840's

Characteristics: Single vertical cartouche in right margin
Publisher: Kikakudō (Sanoki - Sanoya Kihei)

This is very similar to the preceding series of the same title by Sanoki with a similar title cartouche layout, differing only in the different publisher seal.

For some prints here, they are republication of originals from ca. 1832-38; i.e. there are two editions of this series, a first edition from ca. 1832-38, and a re-printed edition from the 1840s (with censorship seals of that period).

This series is very likely to not be a separate series, but just a later edition of the earlier one. It may, however, be an extension of the earlier edition (i.e. it may include new images for which no earlier printing exist). It will necessitate a careful gathering of data on variant printings to settle these questions.

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)
-#^302k267, #177k266	Kameido Tenjin fuji [no] hana	Wisteria flowers [at] Kameido	ca. 1839-42	kiwame
-#^37k280, #~267k386	Nippori	Nippori [Village]	ca. 1835-38	kiwame
-#~~130k266	Shiba Atago-yama no zu	View of Atago Hill [in] Shiba	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
-#~~174k266	Yoshiwara yozakura no zu	Cherry-trees at night in the Yoshiwara	ca. 1835-38	kiwame
-#124k266	Shiba Zōjō-ji	Zōjō Temple [in] Shiba	ca. 1835-38	kiwame
-#~287k288	Azuma no mori	Azuma Grove	ca. 1839-42	None
-#^35k280, #~~125k266	Dōkan-yama mushi-kiki no zu	View of cricket-listening [at] Dōkan Hill	ca. 1839-42	None
-#	Matsuchi-yama ue mibarashi no zu	Splendid view from the top of Matsuchi Hill	ca. 1832-38	None
-#~~126k266	Shiba Akabane no yuki	Snow at Akabane [in] Shiba	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
-#175k266	Ryōgoku-bashi hanabi no zu	View of fireworks [at] Ryōgoku Bridge	ca. 1835-38	kiwame
#136k279	Kameido ume yashiki no zu	View of the plum garden at Kameido	ca. 1832-38	kiwame
#178k266	Goten-yama yūkyō	Amusements at Goten Hill	ca. 1839-1842	None
#!188k280	Yanagishima Myōken-dō	Myōken Hall in Yanagishima	ca. 1839-42	None
#!195k297, #^281k339	Asakusa Kinryūzan toshi no ichi	Year-end fair at Kinryūzan Temple [in] Asakusa	ca. 1835-38	kiwame
#	Ōji Takinogawa	Waterfall River [at] Ōji	ca. 1839-42	None

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Ca. 1840

Characteristics: No title cartouche, title in ground
Publisher: Jukakudō (Marusei - Maruya Seijirō)

Reportedly there are two editions of this series: a first, from ca. 1839-42; and a second, from 1844-45.

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)	Comments
-#	Nihon-bashi uoichi	Fish market at Nihon Bridge	ca. 1839-42	None
-#~74k287	Shiba Akabane Zōjō-ji	Akabane [Bridge and] Zōjō Temple [in] Shiba	ca. 1839-42	None
-#!89k300	Ryōgoku hanabi	Fireworks [at] Ryōgoku [Bridge]	ca. 1839-42	None
#22k313	Shin Yoshiwara	New Yoshiwara	ca. 1839-42	None
#	Asakusa Kinryūzan	Kinryūzan [Temple at] Asakusa	ca. 1839-42	None
#	Soto Sakurada Benkei-bori sakura no i	Cherry-tree well [at] Benkei Moat outside Sakurada	1844-45	Tanaka	Note the way in which the censor seal was added by carving into the solid ground of the blue block, rather than adding a plug to the key block.
#292k348	Ueno Kiyomizu-dō yori Shinobazu o miru zu	Looking toward Shinobazu Pond from the Kiyomizu Hall in Ueno	ca. 1839-42	None

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Ca. 1840

Characteristics: Single irregular vertical cartouche in ground
Publisher: Shōfukudō (Jōkin - Jōshūya Kinzō)

Thumbnail	ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)	Comments
	-#	Asakusa Kinryūzan setchū no zu	View of Kinryūzan [Temple at] Asuka in snow	ca. 1840-42	None
	-#	Ryōgoku-bashi nōryō dai-hanabi	Enjoying the evening cool [at the] great fireworks [at] Ryōgoku Bridge	ca. 1840	None

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital: Eight Views of the Sumida River - Ca. 1840

Characteristics: Single vertical cartouche in right ground, text in ground
Publisher: Kikakudō (Sanoki - Sanoya Kihei)

The series title is in the vertical cartouche; the series subtitle is in the ground (right side of text block), along with the individual scene name (left side of text block).

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date
#	Kinryūzan [no] banshō	Vesper bells [at] Kinryūzan [Temple in Asakusa]	ca. 1840
#50k321	Matsuchi-yama [no] seiran	Clearing storm [at] Matsuchi Hill	ca. 1840
#~119k283	Mimeguri [no] bosetsu	Evening snow [at] Mimeguri [Shrine]	ca. 1840
#	Massaki [no] ya-u	Evening rain [at] Massaki	ca. 1840
#50k321	Mokubo-ji [no] aki [no] tsuki	Autumn Moon [at] Mokubo Temple	ca. 1840
#^204k280, #281k363, #^~224k287	Azuma-bashi [no] kihan	Returning sails [at] Azuma Bridge	ca. 1840
#	Imado [no] yūshō	Evening glow [at] Imado	ca. 1840
#	[no] rakugan	Descending geese [at] Hashiba	ca. 1840

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Early-1840's

Characteristics: Single vertical cartouche with rounded top and inverse rounded bottom in right ground, text in ground
Publisher: Tenjudō (Ekichi - Ezakiya Kichibei)

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)
#	Takanawa tsuki no kei	View of the Moon [at] Takanawa	ca. 1840-42	None
#	Goten-yama manka no zu	[Cherry-trees in] full bloom [at] Goten Hill	ca. 1840-42	None
#	Yoshiwara Nihon-zutsumi yuki no asa	Snowy morning [at] Nihon Embankment [in the] Yoshiwara	ca. 1840-42	None
#~159k318	? ? Ochanomizu	? Ochanomizu	ca. 1840-42	None

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Early-1840's

Characteristics: Single squarish cartouche in ground
Publisher: Yorozuya Kichibei (Mankichi - firm name unknown)

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)
#	Ryōgoku hanabi no zu	View of fireworks [at] Ryōgoku [Bridge]	ca. 1840-42	None
#	Matsuchi-yama no yuki	Snow at Matsuchi Hill	ca. 1840-42	kiwame
#	Yoshiwara nen-rei no zu	View of New Year visits [in the] Yoshiwara	ca. 1840-42	kiwame
#	Susaki shiohi zu	View [of] Susaki [at] low tide	ca. 1840-42	None

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Mid-1840's

Characteristics: No title cartouche, title in ground
Publisher: Masugin - Masudaya Ginjirō

There seem to be two editions; an earlier one without censor seals, and the later one with 'Hama' seals; it is theorized that the earlier edition was produced by a different publisher.

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)	Comments
-#	Tsukuda-jima Fukugawa	Tsukuda Island [and] Fukugawa	1843-46	Hama
#~21k309	Ryōgoku hanabi	Fireworks [at] Ryōgoku [Bridge]	1843-46	Hama
#~128k356	Kasumigaseki Sannō matsuri nerikomi no zu	View of the Sannō Festival parade [at] Kasumigaseki	ca. 1840-42	None	Note that the second word (Meisho) of the title has been left off the caption.
#	Shinobazu no ike	Shinobazu Pond	ca. 1840-42?	None	Impressions with the censor seal 'Hama' are known.

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Mid-1840's

Characteristics: Single vertical cartouche in right ground, text in ground
Publisher: Unknown

These prints may be part of a series listed below, with a known publisher.

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)
#~120k273	Asakusa-gawa Kinryūzan Azuma-bashi	The Asakusa River, Kinryūzan [Temple, and] Azuma Bridge	1843-46	Hama
#!205k280, #@225k390	Ueno Tōeizan	Tōeizan [Temple at] Ueno	1843-46	None
#	Yuki no asa Susaki no hinode	Sunrise at Susaki, a snowy morning	1843-46	Hama
#	Takanawa yūkei	Evening view [of] Takanawa	1843-46	Hama

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Mid-1840's

Characteristics: Single irregular horizontal cartouche in middle ground
Publisher: Eikyūdō (Yamamotoya Heikichi)

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)
-#~~280k323	Mimeguri tsutsumi Matsuchi-yama enbō	Distant view [of] Matsuchi Hill [from the] Mimemguri Embankment	1844-45	Tanaka
-#~~188k341	Asuka-yama manka no zu	View of [cherry-trees in] full bloom [at] Asuka Hill	1844-45	Tanaka
-#	Kasumigaseki no zu	View of Kasumigaseki	1843-46	Muramatsu
#!217k390	Takanawa tsuki no kei	View of the Moon [at] Takanawa	1844-45	Tanaka
#!126k283	Asakusa Kinryūzan no zu	View of Kinryūzan [Temple at] Asakusa	1843-46	Muramatsu
#	Tsukuda-jima Sumiyoshi yashiro	Sumiyoshi Shrine [at] Tsukuda Island	1844-45	Tanaka
#	Suruga-chō no zu	View of the Suruga District	1843-46	Muramatsu
#	Ueno Shinobazu hasu ike	Lotus Pond [at] Shinobazu [in] Ueno	1844-45	Tanaka
#	Goten-yama hanami no zu	View of cherry-blossom viewing [at] Goten Hill	1844-45	Tanaka

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Mid-1840's

Characteristics: Single vertical cartouche in ground, text in ground
Publisher: Sengyokudō (Etatsu - Ezakiya Tatsuzō)

Thumbnail	ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)	Comments
	#~164k284, #^216k390	Sumida-gawa hana-zakari no zu	View of [cherry-]blossoms in full flower [along] the Sumida River	1843-46	Hama	An impression with no censor seal is also known
	#	Shiba Zōjō-ji sanmon-biraki	The opening [of the] temple gate [at] Zōjō Temple [at] Shiba	1842-43	Taka

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Mid-late-1840's

Characteristics: Single vertical cartouche in right margin
Publisher: Kikakudō (Sanoki - Sanoya Kihei)

This may again be a re-publication/extension of an earlier series; see the comments on that series.

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)	Comments
#~79k265	Matsuchi-yama no zu	View of Matsuchi Hill	1844-45	Tanaka	Impressions with the censor seal kiwame, from ca. 1832-38, are also known.
#~80k265, #~187k266	Sumida tsutsumi hanami no zu	View of cherry-blossoms [on the] Sumida Embankment	1849-1850	Kinugasa, Watanabe
#~~129k266	Asakusa Gomonzeki	Higashi Hongan Temple at Asakusa	1849-50	Kinugasa, Watanabe
#180k266	Fukagawa Sanjūangen-dō	The Hall of Thirty-three Bays in Fukagawa	1849-50	Kinugasa, Watanabe
#183k266	Yoshiwara yuki no asa	Snowy morning in the Yoshiwara	1849-50	Kinugasa, Watanabe
#~~275k271	Tsukiji Gomonzeki	Nishi Hongan Temple at Tsukiji	1851	Mera, Watanabe
#	Shiba Shinmei miya	Shinmei Shrine [at] Shiba	1849-50	Kinugasa, Watanabe	Contains a sub-title in the ground: "View of Shinto music and dancing [at the] break of dawn [at the] august temple (Omiya gen-sho kagura no zu)" (the reading, but not the translation, is somewhat uncertain - e.g. 'sho' might actually be read as 'akebono' here).

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - Ca. 1850

Characteristics: Single vertical cartouche with rounded top and inverse rounded bottom in right ground
Publisher: Jukakudō (Marusei - Maruya Seijirō)

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)
-#	Shiba Zōjō-ji setchū no zu	View of Zōjō Temple [at] Shiba in snow	1847-50	Mera, Murata
-#17k313	Goten-yama manka	[Cherry-trees in] full bloom [at] Goten Hill	1847-50	Mera, Murata
-#~~53k319	Kameido Tenman-gū keidai no zu	View of the precincts [of the] Tenman [Shrine at] Kameido	1847-50	Mera, Murata
#~~23k313	Sumida-gawa Hashiba no watashi	Hashiba Ferry on the Sumida River	1847-50	Mera, Murata
#!185k306	Ueno Tōeizan	Tōeizan [Temple at] Ueno	1847-1850	Mera, Murata
#~~190k318	Shiba Shinmei sairei	Festival [at the] Shiba Shinmei [Shrine]	1847-50	Mera, Murata
#	Matsuchi-yama ue yori Saruwaka-machi o miru zu	Looking toward the Saruwaka District from the top of Matsuchi Hill	1847-50	Mera, Murata

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - 1853/6

Characteristics: Single squarish cartouche in ground
Publisher: Kansendō (Sen'ichi - Izumiya Ichibei)

The situation with this series of prints (many of which are unsigned) is complex; what follows is the best current understanding. The prints in this series seem to be reproductions of prints from two different sources.

Some (Sumida, Ueno, Goten, Eitai) are re-prints, with an altered title and cartouches, from an earlier series by the same publisher (Sen'ichi), titled 'Edo meisho no uchi', published around 1832-34.

Others (Nippori, Matsuchi, Azuma, Suruga, Kaian, Dōkan) seem to be a group of prints allegedly done by Utagawa Yoshikazu, but which are actually copies of prints from 'three' other 'Tōto meisho' series by Hiroshige: this one, this one; and this one, all originally published by Sanoki. (The 'three' is in 'scare quotes' because they may in fact only be one series, with the later ones being re-issues of the first.)

Yet others (Sumida, Shinobazu) are similarly copies of prints by Hiroshige from yet another series. Whether to call these latter prints 'Hiroshige' prints or 'Yoshikazu' prints is an un-addressed issue.

Version of the Nippori and Shinobazu prints from this series (un-signed, in the ones shown here), with Yoshikazu's signature on it, are known. There is also an Ochanomizu print, showing the same image as that from this series, and a Kameido print, showing the same image as that from this series, signed 'Yoshikazu'; however, no unsigned versions of those two prints are currently known.

So apparently these prints are reproductions - whether authorized, or un-authorized, is not known at this point - although the addition/removal of Yoshikazu's signature suggests that possibly they are un-authorized. It is not clear whether Yoshikazu's signature was added to them after ones were printed with no signature, or whether they were originally printed with his signature, which was later removed when it was noted that they were copies of the earlier ones by Hiroshige.

Note that most (but not all!) of the ones which are the same as the earlier 'Edo meisho no uchi' (published by Sen'ichi) do have a Hiroshige signature; similarly, most (but not all!) of them have the title cartouche on the left, not the right (as the others do).

ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)
-#!115k278	Sumida tsutsumi uchū no sakura	Rain on cherry-trees on the Sumida Embankment	ca. 1850's	kiwame
-#^291k351, #269k386	Ueno Tōeizan no zu	View of Tōeizan [Temple at] Ueno	ca. 1850s	None
-#	Nippori sato	Nippori Village	1853/6
-#266k259	Sumida-gawa hana-zakari	[Cherry-]blossoms in full flower along the Sumida River	1853/6
#~~86r54	Matsuchi-yama	Matsuchi Hill	1853
#~~265k259	Azuma no mori	Azuma Woods	1853?
#~234k282	Suruga-chō no zu ji/shi?	View of the Suruga District	1853/6	Fuku, Muramatsu?
#	Kaian-ji no kōyō	Red maple leaves at Kaian Temple	1853/6	Fuku, Muramatsu
#~~057k384	Goten-yama hana-zakari	[Cherry-]blossoms in full flower at Goten Hill	ca. 1850s	kiwame
#	Eitai-bashi Tsukuda oki isaribune	Fishing Boats in Tsukuda Bay, from Eitai Bridge	ca. 1850s	None
#~~57k285	Shinobazu ike	Shinobazu Pond	1853/6	Fuku, Muramatsu
#	Ryōgoku-bashi yoru	Evening [at] Ryogoku Bridge	1853/6	Fuku, Muramatsu
#	Dōkan-yama	Dōkan Hill	1853/6	Fuku, Muramatsu

Famous Places in the Eastern Capital - 1856/9

Characteristics: Single vertical cartouche in right margin
Publisher: Kikakudō (Sanoki - Sanoya Kihei)

This is again likely to be a re-publication/extension of an earlier series, going by the similarity in cartouche design, the matching publisher, etc (although no earlier impressions of these two images are currently known); see the comments on that series.

Thumbnail	ID	Title (Rōmaji)	Title (English)	Date	Censor(s)	Comments
	-#	Asakusa Kinryūzan toshi no ichi	The year-end fair at Kinryūzan [Temple in] Asakusa	1856/9	aratame
	-#	Soto Sakurada Benkei-bori	Benkei Moat outside Sakurada	1856/9	aratame

Acknowledgements

Thanks especially to the compilers of "The Edward Burr Van Vleck Collection of Japanese Prints" (Elvehjem Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1990), who made the first attempt known to this author to bring some order to this vast confusion, and whose work has been the tall shoulders upon which this online extension stands.

Thanks also to Fuji Arts, whose Web-site was the source of many additional prints; the Museum of Fine Arts, whose excellent Web-site of their collection provided many images, captions, etc; and John Resig, whose Japanese Woodblock Print Search site has been a great help in locating good images of these prints.

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Last updated: 3/July/2019