One Hundred Famous Views of Edo No.89Moon shaped branch of pine tree at Ueno mountain

On the southern slope descending from Ueno mountain to Shinobazu no Ike (pond) and in front of Kiyomizudo Temple was an unusual pine tree with a branch in the shape of a circle. People of the time named it Tsuki no Matsu, meaning “moon pine”. Due to the tree’s unusual shape, visitors to Ueno mountain never left the area without seeing it.
From this place one could look upon the pond and beyond to the residential district for warriors on Hongo terrace. In ancient times, the lowland in this neighbourhood was a part of Edo Bay and the pond was once its inlet. During the Edo period, the pond, located northeast of Edo city, was likened to Lake Biwa, located northeast of Kyoto. Benten Shrine was built on an island in the pond, being a copy of Chikubushima island on Lake Biwa. The shrine, painted red, is seen on the right-hand side of the print in the foreground. Lotus leaves can be seen floating on the pond, and it considered the most famous lotus-viewing spot in Edo city.
Hiroshige used the circle of the branch as a telescope and sketched the residences of lords on Hongo terrace within the branch’s natural frame. Fires broke out very frequently in Edo because houses were built with timber and paper and, therefore, many fire watchtowers were constructed in various parts of Edo. In this print, three watchtowers can be seen overlooking the town. The tallest must be the one on the large grounds of the residence of Lord Maeda from Kaga Province. To the Kaga clan belonged a power-conscious fire brigade called Kagatobi, which caused frequent conflicts with private firemen.