Japan: Oiso (大磯). Station 8 of 'The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō' (Hōeidō edition), Utagawa Hiroshige (1833-1834)

Oiso: The approach through rice-fields along a narrow road lined with trees, to a curved street of huts, overlooking the sea, and travellers entering the village under a downpour of rain.

This station was an isolated village on the coast. From ancient times, many poets referred to this seashore in their poems. Now a motorway has been built along the seashore and passing motorists pay less attention to this historic place.

Utagawa Hiroshige (歌川 広重, 1797 – October 12, 1858) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, and one of the last great artists in that tradition. He was also referred to as Andō Hiroshige (安藤 広重) (an irregular combination of family name and art name) and by the art name of Ichiyūsai Hiroshige (一幽斎廣重).

The Tōkaidō (東海道 East Sea Road) was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name.

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Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

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Pictures From History

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53 TOKAIDO STATIONS