One Hundred Famous Views of Edo No.60Asakusa River, Okawabata and Miyato River

The Sumida River, an emblematic river of Edo city, flows north to south through the eastern part of Edo city into Edo Bay.
The river, as it flowed through marshes, paddy fields and thriving towns, provided unique scenery in each of its respective sections. From ancient times, the river was loved by people living beside it and each locality gave the river a nickname.
The section of the river depicted here, east of Asakusa, was called either the Asakusa or Miyato River, and both banks were called Okawabata, literally meaning “large riverbank”. Thriving towns were to be found on both sides of the Asakusa River and a large number of boats travelled up and down and crossed it, making it a very busy thoroughfare.
At the eastern foot of Ryogoku Bridge, one of the few bridges spanning the Sumida River, was a special place where people could purify themselves by absolution. Those who wanted to make a pilgrimage to or visit sacred mountains like Mt. Oyama would purify themselves here before they started. Hiroshige depicts two groups of people, one in the foreground and the other in a boat, who have just purified themselves and are going to Mt. Oyama. The man standing on the boat in a red-coloured costume is blowing a trumpet shell. The people behind him recite words which mean “purification of one’s self through detachment from the senses”. Both groups carry a pole with streamers and strips of white and red paper which are used in the purification ritual.
The river flowing into the Sumida River, from left to right in this print, is the Kanda River. The district on the left bank and at the mouth of the river was called “Yanagibashi”, a noted pleasure district where many restaurants and teahouses stood. A two-storied restaurant is depicted in the print, and from the windows customers gaze at the scenery on the Sumida River. The two roofed boats are the sort which carried passengers for an excursion trip on the river.
In the far distance soars Mt. Tsukuba up into the clear sky.