Hiroshige
Located between the Wada Pass and the Kasadori Pass, two difficult parts along the Nakasendō, Nagakubo flourished as a post town under the Tokugawa shogunate. Much of the original town was destroyed by a flood in 1631, and relocated a slight distance to higher ground. As the town developed, its row houses eventually spread to side streets, giving it the rare shape of a key.
Hiroshige's ukiyo-e print of Nagakubo-shuku depicts the Wada bridge, located just past the post station. In the front of the picture, two children are playing and a traveler is leading his packhorse towards an inn. As was common in the series of prints, the publisher's name appears on the saddlecloth on the horse. The roof of the inn is shown with stones on the tiles to help secure the roof against strong winds - this was a typical method of construction for the region.
These day, many of the buildings of Nagakubo-shuku have been preserved, and the area is a tourist attraction within the town of Nagawa.
Who doesn't like ukiyo-e? See 6 most interesting (in our opinion of course) prints from the Views of Mount Fuji here.
See you tomorrow!