Megurofudo

The Fudo temple at Meguro (Ryusenji) was one of the five great Fudo sanctuaries of Edo, drawing pilgrims to venerate the Buddhist deity of immovable wisdom. Hiroshige's view of Megurofudo likely records the approach through dense cedar groves, the stone lanterns lining the path, and perhaps the cascading waterfall associated with the site's ritual use—Fudo worship often involved water purification. The dark canopy of trees creates a contemplative atmosphere appropriate to the deity's austere character, while the distant city visible through a gap in the foliage would remind the viewer of the urban world the pilgrim temporarily leaves behind. Such images participated in the guidebook-adjacent function of meisho-e prints, orienting Edo residents within the city's network of sacred and recreational destinations outside the downtown core.