Nihonbashi Bridge and Edobashi Bridge

The Nihonbashi Bridge was considered the center of Japan, with all distances measured from its midpoint. Its post and horizontal beams are enlarged in the foreground of this print, providing an unusual perspective. The viewer is standing on the bridge and looking east toward the Edobashi Bridge and the area that is today the Nihonbashi district. The river below is, in fact, a canal that was dug to connect the Kanda and Sumida rivers. Waterways were vital for providing fresh goods to the sprawling, densely populated city. Behind the white warehouses near the Edobashi Bridge, the sun is rising.