The Station Ejiri: Miho no Matsubara - Utagawa Hiroshige

A classic woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige depicting the coastal station of Ejiri with a view of Mount Fuji.

This woodblock print is part of the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō, a collection documenting the route between Edo and Kyoto. Utagawa Hiroshige captures the coastal area of Ejiri, known for its view of Mount Fuji across the bay. The composition is divided into distinct horizontal planes: the foreground beach with conical straw covers for boats, the mid-ground water with sailing vessels, and the distant mountains under a clear sky.

Hiroshige employs a refined colour palette, using Prussian blue for the water and sky, which contrasts with the pale, snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji. The print demonstrates the artist's ability to organise space through the use of atmospheric perspective. The boats on the water provide a sense of scale, guiding the viewer's eye toward the horizon. The inclusion of the pine grove at Miho, a location famous for its beauty, adds a specific geographical context to the scene.

The technical execution reflects the high standards of the Edo period print industry. The registration of the blocks allows for clean lines and subtle gradients in the sky, known as bokashi. This print is a representative example of the travelogue genre in Japanese art, which gained popularity as domestic tourism increased during the nineteenth century. By focusing on the interplay between human activity and the natural environment, Hiroshige creates a balanced image that remains a primary reference for the aesthetics of the Tōkaidō route. The work is printed on paper, preserving the texture and ink saturation characteristic of the original woodblock process.