The 53 Stations of the Tokaido: Meiji Reproductions

In the annals of Ukiyo-e, there are few series more renowned than Hiroshige's 53 Stations of the Tokaido「東海道五十三次之內」. Published by Hoeido in 1833, this seminal collection of striking images chronicled a journey along the great sea road from Edo to Kyoto and gave an incredible boost to the genre of landscape prints. Buyers loved the scenes of travelers making this once-in-a-life time journey through mountains and across rivers, enjoying edible delicacies and raucous good times when they stopped at inns for the night.

In the Meiji era, around 1900, long after Hiroshige's death, skilled artisans created new woodcut reproductions of this series that have arguably never been matched in quality. These are antique works of art in their own right, cut from cherry wood blocks and printed on fine paper using the same techniques as the originals. But whereas original Hoeido prints in good condition can easily cost $10,000 or more, these prints are far more affordable. XZ Ukiyoe is proud to present a selection of 15 of these fascinating works. Prices are listed with each print. (Shipping not included.)