Katsushika Hokusai’s Ukiyo-e I will explain Hodogaya on the Tokaido Road in Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji.
Hodogaya in this ukiyo-e is present-day Hodogaya Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture. It is the fourth Hodogaya post station of the fifty-three stages of the Tokaido.
The pine trees on Shinanozaka near Hodogaya-juku were splendid. The movement of the pine branches is beautifully captured and expressed.
The pairing of two pine trees was a trend in bonsai at the time, and was called the twin trees of literary figures.
Sokan is the branching of one tree with two trunks. Soju is made by selecting trees with similar properties such as vigor, trunk quality, and tree species.
In front of the pine tree, there are two men carrying the palanquin on the left side, resting for a moment, and a guest sleeping soundly in it.
The gesture of the man on the left who is wiping sweat is on his face. It skillfully depicts a man retying his straw sandals on the right.
The Eijudo family crest can be seen on the horse and back pulled by this Umako. Eijudo is a publisher of ukiyo-e prints and promotes them.
The snow on the left slope of Mt.Fuji has melted, suggesting that the season is late spring.
Mount Fuji is located right in the middle of the eight pine trees.
This painting inspired the French Impressionist painter Monet’s masterpiece “Line of Poplar Trees”.
This ukiyo-e is from around 1830 to 1832. Hokusai is around 72 years old.
