Hodogaya on the Tokaido

The rows of pines dividing the picture vertically form the framework of this print. Tall, thin trunks line up left and right, and between them Fuji appears, its blue slopes capped with white snow. The lowland beyond the pines is painted in bands, suggesting the distance to Fuji. The trunks are painted a pale vermilion, making a vivid contrast with the dark green foliage at the tips of the branches.

On the road in front of the pines, various scenes of travel are drawn all at once. On the left, palanquin bearers who have set down their palanquin wipe their sweat, while the passenger inside has fallen asleep. Beside them, a man ties the cord of his straw sandal again. In the center are a horse loaded with baggage and its driver leading it by the reins, and at the far right a figure walks with his face hidden under a deep woven hat. Cargo is piled on the horse's back, and a traveler sits on top of it.

Hodogaya was a post station on the Tokaido, in what is now Hodogaya Ward, Yokohama. The Tokyo Fuji Art Museum reports that there was a magnificent avenue of pines on Shinanozaka slope near the station. The way the pine branches are differentiated and the way casual gestures of the people are captured show the fineness of Hokusai's observation. It is a print that gathers moments along a journey.