Reproduction of a print depicting the serenity and balance of Japanese landscapes - Ushimachi in Takanawa by Hiroshige

"Ushimachi in Takanawa" (original title: 高輪うしまち) is a woodblock print by the Japanese painter and illustrator Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) produced in April 1857.

This print is based on a composition of opposing planes, highlighting different elements. In the foreground, on the right, are half of the wheel and the shaft of a carriage, referring to the nearby district of Ushimachi ("ox district"). This name dates back to 1634, when large numbers of oxen were brought to Edo for the construction of the Tokugawa family temple, Zōjō-ji. In the background, Edo Bay can be seen with its sailing ships and daiba embankments, built as a defensive measure in 1853 and 1855, following the arrival of the American fleet led by Commodore Perry. At the foot of the wheel, two dogs are present, as well as some garbage including a slice of watermelon and a straw sandal that one of the dogs is nibbling. The sky is crossed by a rainbow that crosses the carriage's tiller, thus reinforcing the allusion to Takanawa, which means "high wheel."