Ferry Crossing at Sakasai

In the reeds in the foreground two white herons stand, and one flies above the water. At left another heron spreads its wings. On the river in the middle a ferry boat floats, and on the far shore a cedar grove and teahouse roofs line up. Low mountains lie in the distance, and a red band of sunset can be seen in the sky.

The combination of white herons, blue river, and the green of reeds and woods conveys the calm air of the waterside. The composition draws the foreground herons large and sends the river diagonally to create depth. The herons' white feathers are softly rendered by making use of the white of the paper.

The Sakasai ferry was a crossing on the road that went over the Nakagawa River toward Shimosa. This area lay in Edo's eastern suburbs, and waterbirds such as herons are said to have been common in the riverside wetlands. The teahouse near the crossing is thought to have been a place for travelers to rest while waiting for the boat.

This print belongs to the summer section, and its censor's seal dates it to the second month of Ansei 4 (1857). The Nakagawa also appears in "Mouth of the Nakagawa River" and "Niijuku Ferry," and the scenery of the rivers flowing east of Edo appears repeatedly in the series.