Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), Okazaki: Yahagi Bridge from “The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido” ca. 1833

A classic scene from Hiroshige’s first and most celebrated series, The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido, depicting the daimyo’s procession crossing the great Yahagi Bridge at Okazaki, one of the longest wooden bridges of its time. To the left, travelers rest at a roadside teahouse, while the distant hills fade into the soft blue horizon rendered in delicate bokashi shading. This design exemplifies Hiroshige’s poetic mastery of atmosphere and perspective that transformed the genre of landscape ukiyo-e.
Printed in rich Prussian blue and earthy tones, this example retains strong color and fine linework, showing the quiet lyricism that made the Hoeido Tokaido a cornerstone of 19th-century Japanese art.
Publisher: Hoeido (Takeuchi Magohachi)
 Series: The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaido (Tokaido Gojusan-tsugi no uchi)
 Station: Okazaki (No. 39) 
Date: ca. 1833-1834 (Tenpo era)
Format: Oban (approx. 34.5 × 23.5 cm) 
Signature: Hiroshige ga 
Condition: Moderate toning and edge wear, small wormholes, verso label fragment lower left; colors well preserved with deep blue gradient and clean margins.