One Hundred Famous Views of Edo No.31Azuma Woods and a catalpa tree with two trunks

In the foreground of this print is a canal called Kita Jikken Gawa, which literally “means north 16-metre-wide river”. Flowing in a west to east direction, it connected the Sumida and Naka rivers and was used for transporting bulky goods as well as people by boat.
At the eastern end and on the north side of the canal was Azuma Woods, in which the Gongen Shrine was situated. On the shrine grounds stood a forked tree which was divided into two main trunks 1.3 metres above the earth. Although the title of this print reads catalpa tree, according to the shrine officials, it was in reality a camphor tree.
At any rate, it was generally accepted that this unusual tree was a symbol of the affections men and women feel towards each other.
Legend has it that Prince Takeru Yamato enshrined his wife, Princess Ototachibana, at the shrine, lamenting her death. She had been travelling with him by boat on an expedition to subdue his enemy in the eastern provinces of Japan when a violent storm hit, putting the lives of all the boat’s occupants in jeopardy. In order to appease the sea god and to save the life of her husband, the princess dived into the sea. After surviving the storm, Prince Takeru stopped at these grounds and ate a meal. Some days later the princess’ clothes were washed ashore on a nearby beach and the prince affectionately buried them in the ground of the Gongen Shrine. After the burial ceremony, he stuck two used chopsticks made of camphor into the ground near the shrine, wishing that they would bring peace to the world. It is said that the forked tree grew from these chopsticks.
The cherry trees on the bank of the canal and in the shrine grounds are depicted in full bloom. People travelling along the canal are enjoying the flowers.