Precints of the Akiba Shrine, Ukeji

Most of the picture is occupied by the still surface of the pond. Red-turned maples and pines line the shore, their shadows reflected in the water. On the far shore at upper left a grove of autumn foliage continues, and waterfowl float on the pond. On the bench of the teahouse at lower left are drawn a figure in monk's dress who seems to hold a brush, and a woman and a child.

The contrast of the near-white water surface, the red of the leaves, and the green of the pines is vivid. Reflections in the water are differentiated with pale colors, conveying the stillness of the pond and the clear air of autumn.

Akiba Shrine enshrines a deity who protects against fire, drew the faith of Edo residents and daimyo families, and was known for the garden and autumn leaves in its precincts. One view holds that the figures at lower left depict Hiroshige himself, who had taken Buddhist vows, and his family. The Mukojima area was dotted with temples, shrines, and restaurants, and was a handy leisure area for the people of Edo.

It is one of the autumn-foliage pictures of the autumn section, and together with "The River of Waterfalls at Oji" and "Maple Trees at Mama" it conveys Edo's suburban sites for autumn leaves. The composition that draws reflections in the water large is rare even in this series.