Zenkoji Temple and the Ferry at Kawaguchi

A river surface in pale tones occupies most of the picture, with long rafts flowing in a diagonal line. At lower right a ferry carries passengers, and on the near shore are pines and willows and the roof of the landing's hut. Reeds grow on the far bank, and the hall of Zenkoji peeks out from behind trees at upper right.

By leaving the river surface wide open and arranging the rafts as diagonal lines, the print expresses the flow and breadth of the river. The far bank at the top is sunk in darkness, contrasting with the pale water in the foreground.

The Kawaguchi ferry was where the Nikko Onari-kaido crossed the Arakawa River and was used by people traveling from Edo to Nikko. Zenkoji on the far bank enshrines an Amida Buddha said to be a branch of that of Zenkoji in Shinano and drew worshippers from Edo. The Arakawa was also the route by which timber from Chichibu was rafted to Edo.

This is the twentieth print of the Spring section, and it is the only print in the series that depicts a place in present-day Saitama Prefecture. It can be seen as marking the northern edge of Edo. The censor's seal dates it to February 1857 (Ansei 4). The hazy, wide river surface makes one feel that the other side is a distant land. The line of rafts also conveys the water transport of the Arakawa that supported the building of Edo.