Katsushika Hokusai’s Ukiyo-e I will explain Surugadai in Edo in Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji.
The Sundai in this ukiyo-e is Kanda Surugadai, which was known as a preparatory school town located in present-day Hongo, Bunkyo Ward.
It refers to the plateau on the south side of the Kanda River near present-day Ochanomizu Station.
Surugadai was named because many retainers of the shogunate lived in this area.
This painting is thought to be a composition of Surugadai viewed from the Yushima side, which is the north side of the Kanda River.
Because this was the only high ground in the Kanda neighborhood, it was called Fujimizaka because it had a good view of Mt. Fuji.
The season is the season of fresh greenery, and the trees and wild grasses that grow in the surroundings are represented by three kinds of vivid green.
The blue of the Kanda River that can be seen below is in perfect harmony, and the entire picture is refreshingly organized.
The river flowing under the cliff in the center of the image is the Kanda River.
The Kanda River was hollowed out through the plateau.
In addition, it is surrounded by sheer walls on both banks from the functional aspect that it also served as the outer moat of Edo Castle.
However, the Kanda River in this picture is drawn like an ordinary river, and the slope in the foreground is said to be steeper.
It may look like this when viewed from around the Suidobashi Bridge, but it never looks like this from the Yushima area.
In this ukiyo-e, a large number of people are walking on the slope leading to the Kanda River.
The people who come and go on the slopes are diverse, such as farmers carrying grass, people holding fans on their foreheads, samurai families with attendants, young monks, itinerant merchants carrying goods, and pilgrims.
No one pays attention to Mt.Fuji, and it’s all men.
The various movements of the characters depicted in the painting are also interesting.
People who appear in the ukiyo-e “Hokusai Manga” are also drawn.
This ukiyo-e is from around 1830 to 1832. Hokusai is around 72 years old.
