Mount Fuji, Enoshima, Shichirigahama. Let's visit the settings of ukiyo-e and head to Fujisawa!
(Top image) "A True View of Shichirigahama Beach, a Pilgrimage to Gonoshima in Sagami Province" by Utagawa Hiroshige *Collection of Fujisawa Ukiyo-e Museum, Fujisawa City
Go, see, and experience the world of art
File.13 Fujisawa Ukiyo-e Museum, Fujisawa City
Miyuki Inoue (Magcal Editorial Department)
Ukiyo-e prints seem to be experiencing a boom lately. The landscapes depicted in ukiyo-e prints include Mount Fuji, Enoshima, Kawasaki Daishi, and the Hakone checkpoint... aren't all of these located within Kanagawa Prefecture? With that in mind, I did some research and found the Fujisawa Ukiyo-e Museum in Fujisawa City.
It's a 5-minute walk from JR Tsujido Station. And admission is free! You just have to go!
The area around Tsujido Station's north exit has been neatly redeveloped with large-scale improvements, so the sidewalks are wide and easy to walk on. You can reach "Coco Terrace Shonan," which houses the Ukiyo-e Museum, in no time at all by strolling past the stylish shopping mall.
First, take the elevator to the 7th floor.
The Fujisawa Ukiyo-e Museum in Fujisawa City collects and exhibits ukiyo-e prints and related materials depicting Fujisawa-juku on the Tokaido road and Enoshima Island. It also reportedly houses historical Enoshima tourist pamphlets, so in addition to their artistic value, a major feature of the museum is that visitors can appreciate ukiyo-e prints as local historical materials.
The special exhibition currently being held is "Scenes of Hiroshige and Others: First, Second, and Third Generations—From Edo to Meiji—" (until July 15, 2019).
Utagawa Hiroshige is the creator of the famous "Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō." Naturally, he depicted many scenes of what is now Fujisawa city, including Fujisawa-juku, Enoshima, and Shichirigahama.
Incidentally, the first Hiroshige lived during the late Edo period, so the second and third generations were active during the transition from the Edo to the Meiji era. It's a little strange to think that ukiyo-e prints were being created during such a turbulent time...
While ukiyo-e prints primarily depicted people and customs, it seems that only Hiroshige and his group established and actively depicted the style of "landscape painting" as we understand it today. Although ukiyo-e prints are not the same as "sketches" that realistically depict landscapes, works that are said to have been created after the artist actually visited the location and imprinted the scenery in their memory possess a unique charm.
In the video corner, you can watch "A Tour of Famous Places in Fujisawa and Enoshima Through Ukiyo-e Prints," which visits spots in Fujisawa City depicted in ukiyo-e prints and compares them to the current landscape. The bold exaggeration is a unique charm of ukiyo-e, and the townscape itself has changed greatly between Hiroshige's time and today. Nevertheless, it is interesting to revisit the places that served as the setting, as there are aspects that make you think, "Ah, I see."
This is a must-see!
"While famous artists like Utamaro and Hokusai tend to get all the attention, in reality, countless ukiyo-e artists were active during the same period. Our museum collects ukiyo-e from the perspective of 'local history,' so we believe you will be able to enjoy the wide world of ukiyo-e, regardless of whether the artists are famous or not."
According to curator Ryosuke Masuda.
Because the facility is compact, you can take your time to appreciate each piece. And best of all, it's free, so you can easily drop by while out for a walk.
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Just below the Ukiyo-e Museum is the Fujisawa City Art Space, which I also recommend!
Currently, the exhibition "Observational Skills - Living Things and Nature as Depicted by Shonan Illustrators -" is being held (until June 16th).
The works of these two illustrators based in Shonan are beautiful, cute, funny, a little spooky... and very unique. Admission is free, so be sure to check them out!
