View of the Whirlpools in Awa Province

In 1857, Hiroshige designed three triptychs, each illustrating a landscape panorama inspired by the scenic beauty of Japan. The set, with its expansive views of nature, has been widely admired and some consider it to be one of Hiroshige's best works. Each triptych shows a distinctly different aspect of nature: the forbidding power of mountains cloaked in snow, the calm of a moonlit bay, and the nervous energy of the sea. Collectively they are known as the "Snow, Moon, and Flower" series. This triptych, showing the whirlpools of the Naruto Strait between the islands of Shikoku and Awaji represents the "flower" of the series, since the whirlpools are like aquatic blossoms.