The Asakusa Kuramae district — a commercial area along the Sumida's western bank north of the great temple complex — is depicted on a summer night in this 1881 nishiki-e. Kuramae, named for the government rice warehouses that lined its riverfront, had a lively summer evening culture of riverside stalls and entertainment, and Kiyochika's composition captures the warm, lantern-lit character of a district that mixed commerce and leisure along the waterway. The summer heat of the composition — implied by the open storefronts and casual figures — contrasts with his many wintry Tokyo subjects.
Woodblock print
1928
Color lithograph
1930
Color lithograph
1948
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Summer Night at Asakusa Kuramae was created by Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林清親) in 1881.
Summer Night at Asakusa Kuramae depicts urban scenes, temples & shrines, and night scenes, set at Asakusa.
Summer Night at Asakusa Kuramae measures 23.2 × 34.6 cm (Oban format).
