Details

In this series, Hakutei Ishii, a founding member of the sosaku hanga movement, sought to modernize the style of ukiyo-e prints and imbue them with a modern posture. Each print in the series contains the same elements: an inset with a view of the district named in the print's title, a kimono-clad woman, and a vertical cartouche with the name of the series, all on a blank background. The inset showcased what was then modern Tokyo. Though the women depicted were in traditional dress, there was an attempt to update their sensibilities, as the scene of the woman smoking would have been quite jarring to the Japanese public of 1910.

This series straddled the line between the self-reliance of sosaku hanga and the collaborative spirit of shin hanga. Ishii relied upon the carver Igami Bonkotsu (1875-1933), who had extensive experience in the ukiyo-e style of carving rather than upon his own carving skills. Working with Igami, Ishii kept tight control over the production process in keeping with the sensibility of the sosaku hanga movement.  

Connoisseur's Note

Originally planned to encompass twelve designs, Ishii discontinued the series after nine prints. The first two designs, Yoshicho and Yanagibashi, were completed in 1910 before Ishii traveled to Europe. Another seven prints were published after his return to Japan in 1914, with the last two, Shibaura and Akasaka, executed in 1917. Issued as such, it is exceedingly rare to find offered a complete set.