Near perfect condition. There are no stains, creases, holes, or tears. The printed lines remain exceptionally sharp, and the colors are vivid and beautifully preserved, making this an outstanding display piece.
This large-format hand-printed woodblock reprint was produced during the early Shōwa period (circa 1930s–early 1940s) by the Takamizawa Research Institute (高見澤研究所). It faithfully reproduces Mariko Station (鞠子驛), a celebrated design by Keisai Eisen.
The composition depicts a fashionable woman seated on a bamboo bench at Mariko Station along the famous Tōkaidō Road. Behind her, travelers pass through the bustling post town while porters carry a kago palanquin between roadside teahouses. Rolling mountains frame the rural landscape, capturing the atmosphere of one of Japan's most important travel routes during the Edo period.
Mariko, now part of Shizuoka City, was the twentieth post station on the Tōkaidō connecting Edo and Kyoto. It became famous throughout Japan for serving tororo-jiru (grated yam soup), a local specialty enjoyed by travelers for centuries. Eisen combines this celebrated landscape with an elegantly dressed woman in a richly patterned summer kimono, blending bijin-ga with meisho-e to create a composition that celebrates both fashionable beauty and the romance of travel.
Produced before the Second World War, Takamizawa Research Institute earned a reputation for creating some of the finest ukiyo-e reproductions ever made. Using newly carved cherrywood blocks, traditional pigments, and hand-printing techniques, Takamizawa craftsmen recreated classic Japanese masterpieces with exceptional fidelity and craftsmanship.
A superb prewar hand-printed woodblock reprint that combines the elegance of Eisen's bijin-ga with one of the most celebrated stations along the historic Tōkaidō Road.
