Suhara

Travelers in broad hats huddle in a small shrine at the base of a great tree at right, peering out through the lattice. In the foreground two men carrying loads on long poles run bent forward, and at left rear the shadows of a person on horseback and a packhorse driver float beyond the rain.

Streaks of rain carved in fine lines fill the picture diagonally, and the distant trees, people, and horses become only gray shadows. The green of the ground and the brightness of the shrine stand out in the dark rain, vividly conveying the movement of people flustered by the sudden evening shower.

Suhara was a post town along the Kiso River, and is said to have moved to its present location in 1717 (Kyoho 2) after being washed away by a flood. It lay in the middle of the Kiso Road, a place where travelers also rested to avoid rain or sun. A record of 1843 (Tenpo 14) gives it as a small post town with about 104 houses and 24 inns.

This is by Hiroshige, and its rendering of rain, which recalls Shono in the Tokaido series, is regarded as its highlight. The Metropolitan Museum of Art also has the same design, with a fine impression showing the rain lines clearly. By distinguishing the expressions and postures of those taking shelter, it skillfully captures a moment of travel subject to the weather.