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Japan: Goyu (御油). Station 35 of 'The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō' (Hōeidō edition), Utagawa Hiroshige (1833-1834)

Japan: Goyu (御油). Station 35 of 'The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō' (Hōeidō edition), Utagawa Hiroshige (1833-1834)

Goyu: Main street of the village at nightfall and female touts dragging travellers into the teahouse on the right, where one is already resting. The large circle on the wall bears the sign of the publisher of the series, Take-no-Uchi. On the signboard inside are given the names of the engraver, Jirobei; the printer, Heibei; and the artist, Ichiryusai. This station was lined with many inns and restaurants. The waitresses were renowned for their persistence in trying to entice customers into their shops.

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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