Night View of Matsuchiyama and San’ya Canal

This view, with its large figure depicted prominently in the foreground, is highly unusual for Hiroshige. It is nighttime, and a geisha dressed in  elaborately patterned attire is walking alongside the Sumida River, following the bright lantern of her attendant. Perhaps she is headed to the  Mimeguri Shrine in Mukojima. More likely she is going to the Takeya ferry, located farther downstream, which took passengers to Asakusa  and the Matsuchiyama Shōden temple, whose lights are captured at center. It was here that the Nihon Embankment began, the main route to the Yoshiwara red-light district. This was a popular design, with eight differently colored versions. On the left is version no. 3, furnished with a pink title cartouche with blue-and-white clouds. In version no. 4, on the right, these clouds were printed evenly blue.