Utagawa Hiroshige One Hundred Famous Views of Edo-100-Winter-Asakusa Kinryuzan 歌川広重-名所江戸百景-100-冬-浅草金龍山
Current Address: Sensoji Temple, Taito Ward
Latitude and Longitude: 35.7148, Longitude: 139.7967
Published: July 1856 Age: 60
Tourist Guide-Style Commentary: “Asakusa Kinryuzan”
■ Introduction
Utagawa Hiroshige’s “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo” is a masterpiece series that vividly depicts the seasonal scenery of Edo.
Among these, “Asakusa Kinryuzan” is set at Sensoji Temple, a center of faith and entertainment in Edo.
Kinryuzan is the mountain name of Sensoji Temple, and it was devoutly revered as “Kannon” by the common people of Edo.
Hiroshige skillfully depicts the bustling people lining the approach to the temple and the magnificent scenery of the temple, capturing the Edo atmosphere where faith and entertainment blended together.
■ Sensoji Temple and Mt. Kinryu
Sensoji Temple is said to have been founded in 628 when the Hime brothers, fishing on the Sumida River, caught a Kannon statue in their nets.
A hall dedicated to the principal image was subsequently built, and the temple developed into the oldest temple in Edo.
The temple’s mountain name, “Kinryuzan,” comes from a legend that a golden dragon descended from heaven to protect the Kannon Hall during the Heian period.
The “Golden Dragon Dance” is dedicated every March, perpetuating this legend to the present day.
During the Edo period, worship was widespread, from the Tokugawa family to commoners, and it is recorded that hundreds of thousands of people visited the temple on New Year’s visits and at Kannon festivals.
■Highlights of the Illustration
A large depiction of Sensoji Temple’s Kaminarimon Gate is depicted in the foreground.
The official name of Kaminarimon is Fuuraijinmon Gate.
The wind god and thunder god, two of the 28 deities of the Buddhist deities, are enshrined on either side of the main gate.
The characters on the large lantern at the gate read “Shinbashi Ren,” the group that donated it.
Visible through the gate are the Niomon Gate and the five-story pagoda.
The shops that line Nakamise Street from Kaminarimon Gate to Niomon Gate are completely hidden, likely due to the heavy snowfall.
Despite this, a fair number of people are still heading toward the main hall.
During the Edo period, the temple attracted many pilgrims, and, along with Hanayashiki behind Sensoji Temple, it was a popular entertainment district.
The current hall was rebuilt after World War II.
■ Sensoji Temple Today
Today, Kaminarimon Gate and Nakamise Street are still bustling with tourists from Japan and abroad.
Nakamise is said to be Japan’s oldest shopping street, and it continues to convey the temple town culture of the Edo period.
Every year on March 18th, the “Golden Dragon Dance” is dedicated, allowing visitors to experience the legend of Sensoji Temple and the world of “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo.”
Sensoji Temple is not only a tourist attraction, but it continues to attract people as the center of local festival culture, hosting events like the Sanja Matsuri and Tori no Ichi.
■ Recommended Points from the Tourist Guide
- Visit the Main Hall of Sensoji Temple
This temple has been a center of popular faith since the Edo period.
By praying inside the main hall, you can embody the world depicted by Hiroshige. - Stroll through Nakamise Street
This temple town evokes the bustle of the Edo period.
Enjoy tasting local specialties like ningyo-yaki (dumplings) and kaminari-okoshi (thin rice crackers). - Experience Edo Culture
The tradition of popular entertainment still lives on in the neighboring Asakusa Engei Hall and Hanayashiki Amusement Park.
