Hiroshige Wood Block Prints for All in Gofuku Cho Street in Shizuoka City! 1~10
Wood Block Print 1)!
15th Station: Kambara (presently Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City) in the snow!
Utagawa Hiroshige (Japanese: 歌川 広重), also Andō Hiroshige (Japanese: 安藤 広重; 1797 – 12 October 1858) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, considered the last great master of that tradition.
Hiroshige is best known for his landscapes, such as the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō.
Map of old Sumpu/Shizuoka City at the crossroads by the Mitsukoshi-Isetan Department Store.
Although you can see all 53 wood block prints at the Hiroshige Museum in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, did you know you can see 42 (that what I counted and took in pictures yesterday although I’ll double check today!) of them daily if you walk along Gofuku Cho Street?
“Fuchu”
They concentrated on both sides of Gofuku Cho Street between Mitsukoshi-Isetan Department Store and Shizuoka Bank Headquarters Building.
As far as I know, the order seemed haphazard and I found only 42 of the 53 wood bock prints but I will hav e to double check!
I just realized yesterday I had been walking past them for years. The reason for this crazy miss is that people have the habit of stacking their bicycles against the red granite pedestals on which they stand.
A real pity as the stands themselves are carved into beautiful reliefs , all different!
I sometimes wish that the Japanese, and the Shizuokaites in particular, gave a little more respect and recognition for their culture…
Alright, there is no point crying about it, let me take you along, then!
And don’t forget your camera or sketch book!
Pedestal 1) A porter?
Wood Block Print 1)!
15th Station: Kambara (presently Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City) in the snow!
Actually Hiroshige never traveled in the snow and drew this picture from his own imagination!
Pedestal 2) Mother and Child
Wood Block print 2)
13th Station: Hara (presently in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture)
Pedestal 3) Hiroshige traveling on a horse?
Wood Block print 3)
12th Station: Numazu (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Pedestal 4) Geisha
Note: I started moving bicycles away without any ceremony form that point!
Passers-by just ignored me! LOL
Wood Block Print 4)
14th Station: Yoshiwara (Just between Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City and Fuji City)
Pedestal 5) Farmer Housewife and son?
Wood Block Print 5)
16th Station: Yui, Shimisu Ku, Shizuoka City
Pedestal 6) Young Lord or Kabuki actor?
Wood Block Print 6)
18th Station: Ejiri (presently Shimizu harbor, Shimizu ku, Shizuoka City)
Pedestal 7) Boy hanging onto a branch or bar
How do I know it is a boy/ Look carefully! LOL
Wood Block Print 7)
20th Station: Mariko (presently in Shizuoka City)
The same was reproduced on a Japanese commemorative stamp!
Pedestal 8) A tired porter!
Wood Block print 8)
22nd Station: Fujieda (Fujieda City. Shizuoka Prefecture)
Pedestal 9) Servant sweeping with a broom
Wood Block Print 9)
24th Station: Kanaya (presently in Shimada City. Crossing of the Oi River. Shizuoka Prefecture)
Pedestal 10) Porter
Wood Block print 10)
26th Station: Kakegawa (Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture)
To be continued….
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Hiroshige Wood Block Prints for All in Gofuku Cho Street in Shizuoka City! 11~20
Wood Block Print 11)
28th Station: Mitsuke (Tenryuu, presently Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture)!
SYNOPSIS
Utagawa Hiroshige (Japanese: 歌川 広重), also Andō Hiroshige (Japanese: 安藤 広重; 1797 – 12 October 1858) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, considered the last great master of that tradition.
Hiroshige is best known for his landscapes, such as the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō.
Although you can see all 53 wood block prints at the Hiroshige Museum in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, did you know you can see 42 (that what I counted and took in pictures yesterday although I’ll double check today!) of them daily if you walk along Gofuku Cho Street?
Actually I double checked and found a few more!
Moreover, the indications to find them were slightly wrong!
You will find all these ukiyo-e and more from along Gofuku Cho Street in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, past the first crossing up the street from Gofuk Cho Scrmable, that is where Gofuku-Cho Street crosses the main Street called Egawa Street up the Shizuoka Bank headquarters!
Geisha Visage!
Actually, these ukiyo-e/Wood Block Prints by Hiroshige is only part of a whole city decoration concept including statues and benches made of similar material with Edo period “Characters” that I thought useful to show you before proceeding with the Wood Block Prints
Boy!
Pillared bench!
Dancing Geishas!
Edo Travelers!
Riding Boy!
Mount Fuji overlooking Shizuoka City, formerly called “Fuchu” or “Sumpu”!
Ball Bench!
Hole and rest Bench!
Ring Bench!
handle Bench!
Alright, let me take you back to the Wood Block Prints!
Pedestal 11) Two-sword Samurai!
Wood Block Print 11)
28th Station: Mitsuke (Tenryuu, presently Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture)!
Pedestal 12) Traveling Woman!
Wood Block Print 129
30th Station: Maisaka (presently part of Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture)!
Pedestal 13) Porter!
Wood Block Print 13)
31st Station: Arai (presently part of Kosai City, Shizuoka Prefecture)!
pedestal 14) Sitting Woman!
Wood Block Print 14)
35th Station: Yoshida (presently part of Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture)!
Pedestal 15) Woman with Umbrella!
Wood Block print 15)
36th Station: Akasaka (presently in Toyokawa City, Aichi Prefecture)!
Pedestal 16) Traveling Samurais!
Wood Block Print 16)
39th Station: Chiryu (Chiru City, Aichi Prefecture)!
Pedestal 17) Wooden Sword Fencing Practice!
Wood Block print 17)
41st Station: Miya (presently part of Atsuta ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture)!
Pedestal 18) Porter!
Wood Block Print 18)
43rd Station: Yokkaichi (Yokkaichi City, mie Prefecture)!
Pedestal 19) Sword dancer?
Wood Block print 19)
46th Station: Kameyama (Kameayama City, Mie Prefecture)!
Pedestal 20) Child dancer?
Wood Block Print 20)
52nd Station: Kusatsu (Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture)!
To be continued…
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Hiroshige Wood Block Prints for All in Gofuku Cho Street in Shizuoka City! 21~30
Wood Block Print 21)
Sanjo Bridge at Keishi (Kyoto). Not a station but the end of the Tokaido Trail!
SYNOPSIS
Utagawa Hiroshige (Japanese: 歌川 広重), also Andō Hiroshige (Japanese: 安藤 広重; 1797 – 12 October 1858) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, considered the last great master of that tradition.
Hiroshige is best known for his landscapes, such as the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō.
Although you can see all 53 wood block prints at the Hiroshige Museum in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, did you know you can see 47 (at the last double check yesterday!) of them daily if you walk along Gofuku Cho Street?
Pedstal 219
Soap Bubble Playing Boy!
Actually, these ukiyo-e/Wood Block Prints by Hiroshige is only part of a whole city decoration concept including statues and benches made of similar material with Edo period “Characters”. I found more for your interest yesterday!
Monocycle?
“Wa”!
In Japan a full circle also means “peace” or “harmony”!
Thinking about it again the ring is probably supposed to roll along that contraption!
Alright, let’s go back again to the prints!
Pedestal 22)
Old Lord Looking up!
Wood Block Print 22)
53rd Station: Otsu (presently, Otsu City, Shiga OPrefecture)!
Pedestal 23)
Resting and Thinking Traveler!
Wood Block Print 23)
50th Station: Minakuchi (presently Koka City in Shiga Prefecture)!
Pedestal 24)
Traveler in the wind and rain!
Wood Block Print 24)
47th Station: “Ski/The Barrier” (presently in Kameyama City, Mie Prefecture)
Pedestal 25)
Foot Travelers!
Wood Block print 25)
45th Station: Shono (presently part of Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture)!
Pedestal 26)
Mother and Child!
Wood Block Print 27)
42nd Station: Kuwana (presently kuwana City, Mie Prefecture)!
Pedestal 27)
Crouching Old men!
Wood Block Print 27)
40th Station: Narumi (presently part of Midori Ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture)!
Pedestal 28)
Traveler!
Wood Block Print 28)
38th Station: Okazaki (presently Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture)!
Pedestal 29)
Geisha in her Parlor!
Wood Block Print 29)
35th Station: Goyu (presently port of Toyokawa City, Aichi Prefecture)!
Pedestal 30)
Relaxing Geisha!
Wood Block Print 30)
32nd Station: Shirasuka (presently in Kosai City, Shizuoka Prefecture)!
To be continued…
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Hiroshige Wood Block Prints for All in Gofuku Cho Street in Shizuoka City! 31~45
Wood Block Print 31)
Hamamatsu (Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture)!
SYNOPSIS
Utagawa Hiroshige (Japanese: 歌川 広重), also Andō Hiroshige (Japanese: 安藤 広重; 1797 – 12 October 1858) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, considered the last great master of that tradition.
Hiroshige is best known for his landscapes, such as the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō.
Although you can see all 53 wood block prints at the Hiroshige Museum in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, did you know you can see 45 (at the final check today!) of them daily if you walk along Gofuku Cho Street?
I’m preparing a total compilation of the ukiyo-e only, including the ones missing, that is a total of 53+2= 57!
Before I proceed with the last ukiyo-e of this series I want to show you a few more pictures of art works created with them!
Gofuku Cho Street Sign at the entrance of Gofuku Cho Street!
Double bar bench?
Geisha’s Face!
Geisha and Suitor’s faces!
Alright, let’s proceed to the pedestals and wood block prints!
Pedestal 31)
Geisha in the Wind!
Pedestal 32)
Traveling Porter!
Wood Block Print 32)
27th Station: Fukuroi (Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture)!
Pedestal 33)
Traveling Mother and Child!
Wood Block Print 33)
25th Station: Nissaka (presently in Kakekagawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture)!
Pedestal 34)
Shamisen-Playing Geisha!
Wood Block Print 34)
23rd Station: Shimada (Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture)!
Pedestal 35)
Mother Carrying Child on her Back!
Wood Block Print 35)
21st Station: Okabe (presently in Fujieda City, Shizuoka Prefecture)!
Pedestal 36)
Mother Carrying her Son on her Back!
Wood Block Print 36)
19th Station: Fuchu (presently Shizuoka City)!
Pedestal 37)
Two-Sword Samurai in the Wind!
Wood Block Print 37)
17th Station: Okitsu (presently in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City)!
Pedestal 38)
Housewife!
Wood Block Print 38)
10th Station: Hakone (Hakone, Kanagawa prefecture)!
Pedestal 39)
Farmer’s Wife Carrying Produce on her Head and Son on her back!
Wood Block Print 39)
5th Station: Totsuka (presently Totsuka Ku, Yokohamam City, Kanagawa Prefecture)!
Pedestal 40)
Porter!
Wood Block Print 40)
2nd Station: Kawasaki (Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture)!
Pedestal 41)
Resting Mother and Two Children!
Wood Block Print 41)
Not a Station but the starting point at Nihonbashi, The Bridge o Japan in Edo (presently Tokyo)!
Pedestal 42)
Young Girl with Umbrella!
Wood Block Print 42)
1st Station: Shinagawa (presently in Tokyo)!
Pedestal 43)
Horse Rider!
Wood Block Print 43)
4th Station: Hodogaya (presently Hodogaya Ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture)!
Pedestal 44)
Mother Carrying Child on her Back under Unbrella!
Wood Block Print 44)
6th Station: Fujisawa (Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture)!
Pedestal 45)
Mother and Grandmother Playing with Child!
Wood Block Print 45)
11th Station: Mishiima (Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture)!
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Hiroshige Illuminations in Gofuku Street in Shizuoka City!
I Have already introduced the 45 (out of 53 + 2) Ukiyo-e By Hiroshige (Utagawa Hiroshige), the last great ukiyo-e/wood block prints master in Japan that you can find on red granite posts all along Gofuku Street in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City!
Gofuku Street at night.
Now at night the same red granite posts are surmounted with large lights with the same motif of the ukiyo-e represented below!
The Ukiyo-e below!
The Ukiyo-e above!
They certainly look better than those garish, expensive and bad taste illuminations in Aoba Street that Gofuku Street runs across!
Let me show you some more examples:
Above!
Below!
The “introduction” post!
Below!
Above!
Let me show you just a few more:
Above!
Below!
Above!
Below!
Above!
Below!
I’ll let discover/rediscover the others!
There 45 + 1 in all!
SHIZUOKA TOURISM 