Japanese Ukiyo-e Print – Utagawa Hiroshige – Returning Sails at Gyôtoku – Eight Views of the Edo Suburbs – Showa Era

Ukiyo-e woodblock print. [Shōwa era reproduction using traditional Ukiyo-e woodblock printing techniques]

Print type: Landscape print with scene (Fûkei-ga)

🎨 Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige I (1797–1858), signed Hiroshige – ga

Publication date: Shōwa period, circa 1960s.
Later Japanese printing, faithful reproduction of a work created in the Edo period circa 1837–1838 (Tenpô 8–9).

📜 Publisher: 大盈堂 (Taiyōdō).
Original edition publisher: Sanoya Kihei (Kikakudō) (佐野屋喜兵衛 / 菊花堂).

📏 Format: Horizontal Ôban Yoko-e, approximately 34.5 × 24.5 cm with margins and approximately 31 × 20.5 cm without margins.

Origin: Japan, discovered in Hyōgo Prefecture

Title: Eight Views of the Edo Vicinity
(Edo kinkō hakkei no uchi – 江戸近郊八景之内)
Returning Sails at Gyōtoku – Gyōtoku no kihan (行徳帰帆)

Subject:

This print depicts the returning sails at Gyōtoku, in the vicinity of Edo. Large boats with white sails glide across the calm water while, in the foreground, a small boat laden with passengers and goods slowly progresses. Reeds, rice paddies, and distant dwellings structure the landscape.

Hiroshige captures a suspended, peaceful moment here, where human activity is harmoniously integrated into nature. The fading evening sky and the horizontal composition reinforce this impression of calm, typical of his work.

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Poem

二またの猫ざね川の　　　　The boats of Gyōtoku, returning to port,
追い風に　こわごわ帰る　　pushed by irresistible winds,
行とくの船　　　　　　　　return with caution
早船楼　　　　　　　　　　towards the divided arms of the
新酒　　　　　　　　　　　"cat-haunted river."

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Condition: Print in excellent overall condition. Fresh colors, beautiful impression, well-preserved margins. Micro-wear to the paper on the upper edge (see photos). Carefully presented, ready for framing.

🦝 Our opinion:

This print from the series Edo kinkō hakkei is a magnificent example of Hiroshige's talent for combining landscape, daily life, and poetry. Originally created for a circle of poets, this print differs from the classic Tōkaidō series. The Eight Views of the Edo Vicinity series will delight Tokyo fans!

The Japanese re-edition from the Shōwa period offered here allows one to acquire a true Japanese woodblock print, faithful to the spirit of the original work, at an still affordable price.

Utagawa Hiroshige made his mark on the history of Japanese art with his poetic landscapes. Discover other creations by this artist in our selection of authentic Japanese prints.