Mount Akiba (Akiba-san), from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô meisho no uchi
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Museum of Fine Arts Boston
- Image courtesy of
- Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Description
This print depicts Mount Akiba (Akiha-san), the sacred mountain in present-day Shizuoka Prefecture that rises above the Tōkaidō and was the site of Akiha Shrine, widely venerated throughout the Edo period as a protector against fire. The mountain's distinctive peak would have been a recognizable landmark to travelers on the road, and its association with fire-prevention deities gave it cultural significance well beyond its immediate region. Kyosai's meisho-e composition likely places the mountain in the middle or far distance while the foreground contains travelers, a procession, or roadside activity characteristic of the Gyōretsu Tōkaidō series. The Tōkaidō context emphasizes the mountain as a sight observed from the highway rather than a destination in itself, locating the viewer in the position of the traveling retinue. Graduated sky and atmospheric distance effects would be rendered through careful bokashi application.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Mount Akiba (Akiba-san), from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô meisho no uchi was created by Kawanabe Kyosai (河鍋暁斎).
Yes — Mount Akiba (Akiba-san), from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô meisho no uchi is part of the Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road series by Kawanabe Kyosai.
Mount Akiba (Akiba-san), from the series Scenes of Famous Places along the Tôkaidô Road (Tôkaidô meisho fûkei), also known as the Processional Tôkaidô (Gyôretsu Tôkaidô), here called Tôkaidô meisho no uchi depicts transportation, tōkaidō, and travel scenes.