1885 (Meiji 19) Woodblock Printed Shrine Map by Matsushima Masakichi

Original Meiji period ukiyo-e woodblock print, published in 1885 (Meiji 18) in the historic temple town of Nikko.

The print was issued by Onihira Kinshiro and engraved by Matsushima Masakichi, reflecting the collaborative production typical of traditional Japanese printmaking. During the Meiji period, publishers and engravers continued the ukiyo-e tradition while adapting it to a rapidly modernizing society.

Nikkō was a major cultural and pilgrimage center in Japan, famous for the lavish Nikko Toshogu, the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Prints produced in this region were often sold to travelers and pilgrims visiting the shrines and temples.

The handwritten annotation on the back, written in an older orthographic style from before full Meiji-era language reforms, provides an additional layer of historical context and suggests the print may have been owned or documented by an early collector or traveler.