Edo Funai Picture Book Fuzoku Orai Gendai Go Yaku (Kadokawa Sofuia Bunko)

[Machine Translation] The artist, who was born and raised in Edo at the end of the Edo period (1603-1868) and took the name Hiroshige Utagawa, recounted in his paintings and writings the scenes of towns and streets from time to time in the Meiji period. From New Year's festivals such as the Shogun's pine tree decorations, the first firefighters of the town, and the flying of kites, to the changing of Edo Castle gate guards, fireworks at the opening of the Sumida River, festival portable shrines and Bon dances, the selling of bamboo and wells at Tanabata, the selling of baked potatoes in winter, and the fox dance instead of the lion dance in Yoshiwara. The book includes a translation into modern Japanese and all 283 illustrations. Scenes that we have only known through the text appear vividly before our eyes.

幕末の江戸で生まれ育ち、歌川広重を襲名する作者が、明治になって絵と文で回顧した、町や通りの折々の風景。将軍家の松飾り、町火消の出初め、大凧上げといった新年の風物詩から、江戸城門番の交代、隅田川の川開きの花火、祭の神輿や盆踊り、七夕の竹売りと井戸さらい、冬の焼き芋売り、吉原の獅子舞ならぬ狐舞まで。現代語訳と283点の図版全てを収録。文章でしか知り得なかった光景が、私たちの眼前にありありと現れる。