Title : Arimatsu Tie-dyed Fabrics, a Famous Product of Narumi (Station #41)

Artist : Utagawa Hiroshige

Date : c. 1833 - 1834

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Source : Honolulu Museum of Art
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Description : The town of Arimatsu in Narumi, station forty-one on the Tökaidö, was famous for its tie-dyed cotton fabrics (shibori ), visible hanging in the fabric stores along the road. Interestingly, Hiroshige depicts female travelers in a palanquin and riding on a horse, which makes it appear as if they came into town to shop for fabric. However, during this time, travel along the Tökaidö was dangerous, and it is unlikely that women would have traveled on the highway without a retinue or without the protection of a larger group. Like many of Hiroshige’s Tokaidö prints, this scene ultimately seems to have been based on imagination rather than actual observation. ("The Tôkaidô Road: Connecting Japan" exhibition Nov/26/2009-Jan/24/2010)

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