Artwork
諸國名橋奇覧 かめゐど天神たいこはし|The Arched Bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine (Kameido Tenjin Taikobashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 かめゐど天神たいこはし|The Arched Bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine (Kameido Tenjin Taikobashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran) is an ink print by the Japonisme artist Katsushika Hokusai. It dates from 1830 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1830, this woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai depicts the arched bridge of Kameido Tenjin Shrine, part of his series documenting notable bridges across Japan. Executed in ink and color on paper, the image is now part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a gently curving wooden bridge spanning tranquil water, its bright yellow and black arch contrasting with a pale sky. Figures in dark robes traverse the bridge and pause on its railing, while trees line the banks and a distant temple crowns a hill, suggesting a serene, everyday pilgrimage scene.
Technique & Style
Hokusai employs traditional ukiyo‑e woodblock methods, layering ink outlines with flat washes of color. The vivid bridge coloration and delicate gradations of sky and water demonstrate his skill in balancing bold design with subtle atmospheric effects, characteristic of his later landscape work.
History & Provenance
The print belongs to the series "Shokoku meikyō kiran" (Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces), a project that surveyed Japan’s infrastructure in the early nineteenth century. After passing through private hands, it entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s Japanese prints holdings.
Context
Produced during the Edo period, the work reflects a growing public interest in travel and regional landmarks, fueled by the expanding road network and the popularity of guidebooks. Hokusai’s focus on bridges aligns with contemporary fascination with engineering feats and the aesthetic integration of man‑made structures within natural settings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Katsushika Hokusai spent his life in Edo, now Tokyo, where he drew and carved prints for a living.
- 諸國名橋奇覧 山城あらし山吐月橋 |Togetsu Bridge at Arashiyama in Yamashiro, from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 すほうの国きんたいはし|Kintai Bridge in Suō Province (Suō no kuni Kintaibashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 ゑちぜんふくゐの橋|Fukui Bridge in Echizen Province (Echizen Fukui no hashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 すほうの国きんたいはし|Kintai Bridge in Suō Province (Suō no kuni Kintaibashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 東海道岡崎矢はぎのはし|Yahagi Bridge at Okazaki on the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō Okazaki Yahagi no hashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 東海道岡崎矢はぎのはし|Yahagi Bridge at Okazaki on the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō Okazaki Yahagi no hashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 三河の八ツ橋の古図|Ancient View of Yatsuhashi in Mikawa Province (Mikawa no Yatsuhashi no kozu), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
葛飾北斎画 冨嶽三十六景 深川万年橋下|Under the Mannen Bridge at Fukagawa (Fukagawa Mannenbashi shita), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
「諸國名橋寄覧 東海道岡崎 矢はぎのはし」|Yahagi Bridge at Okazaki on the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō Okazaki Yahagi no hashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 ゑちぜんふくゐの橋|Fukui Bridge in Echizen Province (Echizen Fukui no hashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 飛越の堺つりはし|The Suspension Bridge on the Border of Hida and Etchū Provinces (Hietsu no sakai tsuribashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)