Japanese Art Poster Inspired by the clean and timeless aesthetics of Japan - Hiroshige's Sannō Festival Procession at Kōjimachi Itchōme

"The Sannō Festival Procession at Kōjimachi Itchōme" (original title: 糀町一丁目山王祭ねり込) is a woodblock print by the Japanese painter and illustrator Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) produced in July 1856.

Once again, the artist presents an unusual composition by highlighting an element in the foreground, in this case the upper part of a palanquin (mikoshi) from the Sannō matsuri festival, celebrated on June 15 in honor of the god Hiei Sannō. The entire left side of the print is occupied by this structure, characterized by wide blue bands that open like candles, surmounted by a large "warning drum" (kankadori) topped with a rooster of which only one leg and a few white feathers are visible. In the lower left corner of the palanquin, we see the white hats adorned with red flowers of the participants in the procession. On the other side of the pond, on the hill, another palanquin, this time representing a monkey, is heading towards the Hanzōmon Palace. This event, which has been held every two years since 1681, is marked by a procession of 50 floats and 500 people dressed in the style of the Heian period (794-1185), moving from the Sannō Hiei shrine near the shogun's palace to the city center.