1873 Meiji Era Ukiyo-e Woodblock Printed Board Game Sugoroku Famous Places of Tokyo. New A3 Preservation Frame

Original Meiji period (early 1870s) color woodblock-printed sugoroku board game titled Tōkei Meisho Yūran Sugoroku (東亰名所遊覧双六), translated as “Famous Sites of Tokyo Excursion.”

Designed by Utagawa Yoshiharu and published by Murakami Kiyosaemon, this print functions both as a board game and a visual guide to early modern Tokyo.

The composition presents a virtual tour of Tokyo, with individual squares illustrating well-known locations such as:

• Nihonbashi
• Asakusa
• Sumida River

Each location is labeled in small cartouches, guiding players through the city as they move along a spiral or multi-directional game path toward a central goal.

A notable feature is the inclusion of modern Western elements, such as a paddle-wheel steamship, reflecting Japan’s rapid modernization during the early Meiji period. This places the work within the kaika-e (enlightenment picture) tradition, where artists documented the blending of traditional Japanese culture with new Western technologies and ideas.

Sugoroku prints like this were both entertainment and educational tools, offering players a way to explore geography, culture, and current events in an engaging format.