Odawara
1855
Travelers brave the shallow waters of the Sakawa River in this classic view of Odawara, a key stop on the historic Tokaido highway. Hiroshige captures the hustle of the journey with figures wading through the blue currents and hauling goods on rafts, all dwarfed by the massive, teal-green Hakone mountains. The soft, gradient sky hints at dawn, the preferred time for travelers to cross. This scene comes from Hiroshige's legendary series depicting the 53 stations of the Tokaido, which was the 19th-century equivalent of a viral travel blog, inspiring countless Edo-period tourists to make the trip themselves.
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