Kameyama: Samurai Mansion

Sekino Jun’ichiro’s The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido

The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido is a beloved theme in Japan, made famous in the nineteenth century in prints by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858). Hiroshige delighted viewers by depicting the colorful scenery of the fifty-three post stations along the Tokaido, the major transportation route between the cities of Edo (present-day Tokyo) and Kyoto.

In the twentieth century, Sekino Jun’ichiro (1914–1988) revived the Tokaido theme in a series produced over a period of fifteen years, from 1960–1974. He worked in the mode of Sosaku-hanga (creative prints) in which the printmaker is directly involved in all steps of the printmaking process—from design, to carving blocks, to the printing itself. This process differed from that of earlier printmakers like Hiroshige, who relied on specialized artisans for carving and printing. In his series, Sekino demonstrates both his technical expertise and his sophisticated design sensibility.

Sekino is one of the most influential Japanese woodblock print artists of the twentieth century. He was born in Aomori City (Northern Japan) and was inspired by print artist Munakata Shiko (1903–1975) who came from the same city. In 1939 Sekino moved to Tokyo and studied under Onchi Koshiro (1891–1955), the founder of the Sosaku-hanga movement. Sekino created prints of Kabuki and Bunraku theatres, portraits of artists, and his version of The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido series.