Hakone: Night Procession in the Mountains - Utagawa Hiroshige

A classic Ukiyo-e woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige, depicting a nocturnal journey through the steep mountain pass of Hakone.

This woodblock print, titled Hakone: Night Procession in the Mountains, is the eleventh plate from the series Famous Sights of the Fifty-three Stations, often referred to as the Vertical Tokaido. Produced in 1855, this work demonstrates the mature style of Utagawa Hiroshige, who was one of the final masters of the Ukiyo-e tradition. The composition depicts a group of travellers navigating a steep, rocky mountain path under the cover of night. The scene is illuminated by the flickering flames of torches carried by the porters, which cast a warm, orange glow against the cool, muted tones of the mountain terrain and the dark sky.

Hiroshige employs a vertical format to emphasise the arduous nature of the climb through the Hakone pass. The winding path follows the edge of a stream, creating a sense of movement that draws the eye upward through the print. The gnarled pine trees, a recurring motif in Hiroshige's work, frame the scene and provide a sense of scale against the imposing, shadowed mountains in the background. The artist uses a limited, controlled palette to convey the atmosphere of a nocturnal journey, balancing the starkness of the dark rock faces with the fluid, blue lines of the water below.

Unlike his earlier horizontal Tokaido series, this later collection allows for a more dramatic use of perspective and verticality. The figures are rendered with simple, functional lines, capturing the physical exertion of the porters as they carry their passengers through the difficult terrain. The print captures a specific moment of travel along the historic road connecting Edo and Kyoto, reflecting the artist's keen observation of both the natural environment and the daily lives of those who traversed it. The work remains a clear example of the technical precision and atmospheric sensitivity that defined Hiroshige's late career.