One Hundred Famous Views of Edo No.2Kasumigaseki

In old times before the Edo period, a road leading to the north of Japan ran through Kasumigaseki hill, so named because a barrier (seki) was built on the hill. From the hill one could see the heart of Edo areas, such as Yuraku-cho, Tsukiji, Fukagawa, and beyond to shining Edo Bay with white sailboats sailing on its waters. The tall building standing at the edge of the city before the bay with its roof above the others is Tsukiji Honganji Temple.
During the Edo period the road was lined with mansions of feudal lords. Hiroshige depicts in this print a scene of the New Year season. People with special roles in the New Year celebrations can be seen on the street.
They are from left to right:
1. Sushi vendor with many boxes on his shoulder.
2. Manzaishi, or a pair of comedians who are dressed in ancient formal costumes and tall hats.
3. A group of street performers of a lion dance and jugglery.
4. A group of warriors in formal wear (coming up the hill to the right of the manzaishi) have probably just been to their lord’s house to wish him a happy New Year.
5. A mother and her daughter, who carries hagoita or a battledore bat.
6. A buyer of boxes containing used fans.
Another feature of the New Year’s holidays depicted in this print is kite-flying. The kite strings appear to come from inside the grounds of the lords’ mansions, which would indicate that their children are flying kites.
On the kite flying at the centre top of this print is written a Chinese character which is the first character of the name of the publisher of this series. Wisely enough, the publisher advertises his firm by using the kite design.
On the left of this print is a sort of police station belonging to the mansion. The tall pine tree standing along the right-hand side is kadomatsu, a New Year’s decoration set up at the entrance to the lord’s mansion on the right.