Japanese poster depicting the peaceful and refined beauty of Japanese nature - Fireworks over Ryōgoku Bridge by Hiroshige

"Fireworks on Ryōgoku Bridge" (original title: 両国花火) is a woodblock print by the Japanese painter and illustrator Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) produced in August 1858.

Often praised as an iconic representation of Edo nightlife, this print is one of the most famous in the series, once again demonstrating the artist's exceptional talent for capturing the nighttime atmosphere and exploiting verticality through aerial perspectives. The Ryōgoku Bridge, which spans the Sumida River, is one of the city's most imposing structures. The twenty-eighth day of the fifth month marks the kawabiraki festival, the opening of the river, a ritual ceremony aimed at warding off evil spirits through ablutions. The first fireworks displays date back to 1733, under the leadership of Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune, and since then, they have been regularly held outside of the annual ceremony, particularly on warm summer nights. These events are sponsored by boat rental companies and restaurants, which profit from the spectacle. The river is then invaded by a multitude of boats, ranging from modest yanebune (covered rowboats) to majestic traditional yakatabune (palace boats) and urourobune, boats offering food and drinks. Fireworks illuminate the upper right corner of the print, evoking living stars, while in the center, a Bengal fire traces a pronounced curve in the sky, its dark hue blending harmoniously with the grain of the wood.