Katsushika Hokusai’s Ukiyo-e I will explain Ejiri in Sunshu Province in Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji.
This ukiyo-e print shows Sunshu, Suruga Province, and Ejiri is a post station on the Tokaido adjacent to Shimizu Port.
Located in present-day Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, it depicts the Ubagaike area.
The white water surface of Ubagaike Pond can be seen at the end of the meandering bank road.
The people who come and go along this embankment express the invisible strong winds unique to the foot of Mt.
In addition, the leaves and trees that scatter from the tilted trees are expressed more strongly by tilting.
In contrast, Mt. Fuji, which stands calmly, is drawn using only outlines.
British photographer Jeff Wall was influenced by this ukiyo-e, and it is a famous work overseas.
There is a legend about Ubagaike in this ukiyo-e.
Kanaya Choja lived near this pond.
He had no children, and after praying to the gods and buddhas, he was finally given a boy.
There was an epidemic of a bad cough, and the boy became ill.
Uba prayed to Benzaiten in the pond and drowned in place of the boy and died.
After that, the boy got better.
Kanaya Choja thanked Uba and built a shrine at the edge of the pond.
Standing on the shore of this pond and calling out “Uba kaina”, the bubbles began to appear and disappear in response.
Therefore, this pond is called Ubagaike.
This ukiyo-e is from around 1830 to 1832. Hokusai is around 72 years old.
