Echigawa

In the foreground, a man leading an ox and travelers with large loads walk toward the bridge. The post at right is inscribed "Muchin-bashi, no bridge toll," and a child runs past it. At left a long wooden bridge extends across the river, and people carrying loads cross it.

The bridge running diagonally from left to right and the post standing at right give movement to the horizontal picture. The distant mountains and fields are blurred in gray and pale indigo, so that the black ox and white loads in front stand out strongly. The ridge of the far mountains is drawn almost in a single pale ink tone.

Echigawa-juku was a post town in Kanzaki District, Omi Province, on the east bank of the Echi River. In the second year of Tenpo (1831), a bridge was built through a plan by a local man, Narumiya Jiuemon, and because no crossing fee was charged it was called the "Muchin-bashi" (toll-free bridge). Until then, travelers are said to have crossed the river on foot or by boat.

This is a design by Hiroshige, and the station name in the title is written "恵智川." By stating the newly built Muchin-bashi clearly in the lettering on the post, he is thought to have worked a fresh topic for travelers into the picture.