Shono, hakuu (Shono: driving rain)

Shono is one of the most dramatic designs from Tokaido gojusan tsugi no uchi, capturing travelers caught in a sudden and torrential rainstorm near Shono in Ise Province. Figures rush along the steep path, while two porters struggle to carry a passenger in a kago, conveying the urgency and force of the storm. Hiroshige heightens the drama through the sharply slanting rain and the animated movement of the figures. Particularly interesting is the umbrella held by the figure at right, which bears the inscriptions Takenouchi, the publisher of the series, and Gojusan tsugi (“Fifty-three Stations”), part of the series title. The print is celebrated for its dynamic composition and vivid depiction of travelers confronting the sudden forces of nature.