One Hundred Famous Views of Edo No.114Bikuni Bridge under snow

The Kyobashi River flowed out of the moat surrounding Edo castle and emptied into Edo Bay. The first bridge spanning the river was called Bikuni Bashi, meaning nun’s bridge. It was said that streetwalkers who disguised themselves as religious figures lived here in inexpensive lodging houses known as nuns’ inns.
The bridge has been depicted in the centre of this print. A vendor wearing a reed hat and coat is about to cross the snow-covered bridge carrying two pieces of luggage containing merchandise on his shoulders, suspended from both ends of a pole. On the right is seen a snow-clad stone foundation which surrounded Edo castle. At the far end of the street is a fire watchtower.
The large signboard of a restaurant on the left of this print advertises Yamakujira, literally “whale in a mountain”, which was actually a meat dish made from wild boars found nearby. For religious reasons, most people during the Edo period did not eat the meat of four-legged animals except that of ones which were in a weak condition. However, wild boar meat was so delicious that many people found an excuse to eat it.
In actuality, this print was said to be drawn by Hiroshige’s son, but it is included in the masterpieces of this series. Either way, the artist has drawn this snowy picture to highlight the difference between the cold surroundings and the warmth of the restaurants. It was believed that Hiroshige’s son.
On the other side of the snow-covered street stands another fast food shop selling baked sweet potatoes. The signboard in front reads maruyaki, meaning “sweet potato baked whole”. This was the most popular takeout food in those days and was especially liked by women. Three dogs are hanging around the front of the shop waiting for scraps.