Comment - Intriguing design of Kakegawa, namely post station (shukuba-machi, 宿場町) No.27 of the Tokaido Road. A rider without stirrups on a horse is escorted by two foot men to the shore of Kakegawa. The rider maybe a not so well off samurai or a messenger. The rider and the righthand footman are smoking a pipe, the footman to the right holds a long spear with a gree protcting hood, the hat of the rider is fixed to the spear. A large pine tree reaches over the bank boundary. A hawk kite (tonbi-tako, 鳶凧) is floating above. Next to him floats an Edo kite (edo tako, 江戸凧), with a white kanji character for 'country' (guo, 國). An elaborate bird kite (torii tako, 鳥凧) is to be seen right hand. All kite lines sag a bit, and the kite tails fall off. There is only a moderate wind blowing. Slight mist is floating over the water. The colour of the mist seems to indicate early an morning sunset.

The series title and sheet number is read on the upper right margin (Tokaido, 東海道, Gojusan tsugi, 五十三次, Nijūnana, 二十七). The name of the signpost Kakegawa (掛川) in Kanji and Hiragana.

Series - Vertical Edition No. 27 of his 1806 Tokaido print cycle (Tokaido gojusan tsugi, 東海道五十三次)

Artist - see Biography


Signature - unsigned


Publisher - Iseya Rihei (伊勢屋利兵衛) (Kinjudô, 錦樹堂)


Image Size - 22.5 cm X  16.5 cm    (8 7/8" x 6 1/2")

Condition - single sheet; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); small chuban; tate-e (portrait)