The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō

Published: July 11, 2026 · Updated: July 11, 2026

1833–1834

The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō is a series of color woodblock prints that Utagawa Hiroshige published in 1833–1834 in the famous Hōeidō edition. Depicting the post stations of the Tōkaidō highway, it is regarded as the peak of the landscape print.

The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō — Author: Utagawa Hiroshige Public domain Source

Overview

The series is a set of color woodblock prints by Utagawa Hiroshige, published in 1833–1834 in the famous Hōeidō edition. Its 55 designs cover the 53 post stations of the Tōkaidō highway between Edo and Kyoto, together with the starting point at Nihonbashi and the terminus at the Sanjō Ōhashi bridge.

Description

Especially celebrated scenes include the driving rain at Shōno, the image on this page, and the evening snow at Kambara. Hiroshige rendered weather, the seasons and the daily life of travellers with an atmosphere never seen before.

History and legacy

The series was a huge commercial success and established Hiroshige as the master of the landscape print. Together with Hokusai’s Fuji series it carried the ukiyo-e landscape to its peak, and its compositions strongly influenced the Impressionists and van Gogh.

Periods

Edo period 1603–1868

Regions

Japan