Hiroshige The Fifty-Three Stages of The Tokaido

Hiroshige

The Fifty-Three Stages of The Tokaido

Hoeido Edition – Gyosho Edition – Reisho Edition

Woodblock Prints

The Tokai Bank Foundation, 1984, colour reproduction prints throughout, paperback

Very Good Condition, a little edge and shelf wear, a little rubbing and bumping to edges and corners, no inscriptions (see photographs)

“The Tokaido, literally the “Eastern Sea Road”, extended east from Japan’s old imperial capital of Kyoto to the new military capital, Edo (now Tokyo), and was the main artery of feudal Japan.
During the Edo period, the entire highway was maintained by the Shogun Government to deep it safe and convenient for travellers.  Fifty-Three stations were established along about 500km. of road between Edo and Kyoto.  A force of one hundred packhorses, one hundred porters and between fifty and two hundred inns were required at each station and these were maintained by local inhabitants and villagers living nearby.  The officially recognized inns, specifically for feudal lords, provided fine accommodation and beautiful gardens.  Shops at each station offered travellers simple necessities such as tobacco, straw sandals, tea, refreshments, souvenirs and local products.  In addition, the Government ordered the planting of pine, cedar, and cypress trees along the highway to make the journey more scenic and to provide the travellers with the comfort of shade along the way.
In those days, there were no wheeled vehicles on the highway and most people journeyed on foot.  Wealthy people who chose to make the journey in greater comfort travelled either on horseback or by kago (palanquin), the only forms of transport available.  It was said that on average a male traveller covered about 40km. and a female traveller 32 km. per day, and travellers usually took more than 13 days to journey from Edo to Kyoto…
The Tokaido still exists today and is still the busiest thoroughfare running through the most densely populated area of Japan.  A super expressway has been built parallel to the old highway to accommodate the increasing motor traffic.  The old national railway is now supplemented by the bullet train railway which covers the distance between Tokyo and Kyoto within two hour and fifty minutes”