Act 8 (Hachidanme), from the series "Storehouse of Loyal Retainers (Chushingura)"
c. 1834/39
Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川 広重 Japanese, 1797-1858
Japan
On the right, Tonase and her daughter Konami travel on foot from Edo to Yamashima to meet with Rikiya in the hope of reaffirming the betrothal of the young couple. Instead of the usual setting of the rocky seacoast near Tago Bay, Hiroshige provides a background similar to landscapes in some of his Tokaido images. Mt. Fuji is in the background, and Hiroshige adds other travelers who would be present on the popular Tokaido Road journey. As the two women pause briefly, Konami seems to wonder if her love will last longer than the snow on Mt. Fuji.
Color woodblock print; oban