Kashiwabara

A large tile-roofed shop occupies the upper half of the picture. Signs reading "Kameya" in kanji and kana hang under the eaves, a doll resembling Kintaro is displayed at the left of the shop, and a garden with a stone lantern can be seen at the back. In the room on the right, a customer and a shopkeeper are talking. Along the road in front, two palanquins carried by men pass.

The long, wide shop is drawn horizontally across the full picture, divided from the white road in front, giving a top-and-bottom composition. The blue of the shop curtains and the white of the signboards line up in regular rhythm, emphasizing the size of the store. The bare bodies of the palanquin bearers add movement to the calm tones.

Kashiwabara-juku was a post town in Sakata District, Omi Province, whose famous product was moxa made from mugwort grown at the foot of Mount Ibuki. At its peak there are said to have been more than ten moxa shops, among which Kameya was known for its large shop and garden. It is said to have been popular as a souvenir for travelers on the Nakasendo.

This is a design by Hiroshige. That he drew a single shop rather than a view of the town may have been partly to advertise the local specialty. This is the first design in Omi, and from here Omi post towns continue to Otsu.