Surugacho, from the series "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)"

In this print, Hiroshige oriented the street to lead directly to a view of Mount Fuji in the distance. The mountain is a cultural and religious icon in Japan, and artists frequently include it in their work. On either side of the bustling boulevard is the Echigoya store, the forerunner of today’s Mitsukoshi department stores. The urban scene is separated from Mount Fuji by a layer of wafting clouds edged in purple and orange gradation (bokashi). Though the sacred mountain is physically separate from the city, it is a constant presence.