Vintage Japanese Print Capturing the Poetic Essence of Traditional Japanese Culture - Hiroshige's Koume Seawall

"Koume Dam" (original title: 小梅堤) is a woodblock print by the Japanese painter and illustrator Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) produced in February 1857.

The Yotsugi-dōri canal, already featured in print number 33, was primarily used for transportation, although in this depiction no boats appear, instead providing an almost idyllic landscape. Nestled on the east side of the Sumida River, north of the Honjo district, near the small town of Koume, this canal crosses the image diagonally, vanishing into the background after a sharp turn. The darker shade of blue in the center of the canal suggests its depth. To the right of the image, a large alder tree (hannoki) fills the entire space, beneath which a few children play with dogs. Two women cross the bridge, dressed in winter haori, while on the other side, a street lined with several shops unfolds. In the center of the image, a lone fisherman sits on the embankment, his fishing rod stretched out in the river. In the sky, a flock of birds breaks the monotony of the upper part of the composition.