Hiroshige Woodblock Print – Kusatsu-juku, The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō (草津宿 東海道五十三次) | Traditional Japanese Ukiyo-e Reproduction

A finely printed ukiyo-e reproduction of “Kusatsu-juku” (草津宿) from Utagawa Hiroshige’s legendary series The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō (東海道五十三次).
This print vividly depicts the bustling energy of travelers, palanquin bearers, and innkeepers at one of the most important rest stops between Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto during Japan’s Edo period.

Hiroshige’s work revolutionized landscape art, capturing not only scenery but the mood and rhythm of travel.
Printed in the mid-20th century using traditional woodblock techniques on handmade washi paper, this edition preserves the soft color gradients (bokashi) and crisp linework that defined Edo’s golden age of printmaking.

The Tōkaidō road connected the shogun’s capital, Edo, to the imperial city of Kyoto, and its fifty-three stations were essential waypoints for merchants, samurai, and pilgrims.
Hiroshige’s series (first published 1833–34) immortalized each stop with human stories and picturesque landscapes, becoming one of Japan’s most influential works of art.

Kusatsu-juku was famous for its lively inns and tea houses, often the final stop before Kyoto — symbolizing both the fatigue and excitement of nearing journey’s end.

This piece captures the timeless appeal of Hiroshige’s travel imagery — lively, poetic, and deeply Japanese.
It makes a superb wall display or collection piece for lovers of ukiyo-e, Edo culture, and traditional printmaking.
A perfect blend of history, craftsmanship, and serene storytelling.