Utagawa Hiroshige I
Late Tenpō era (1830–44)
Donated by Tanba Tsuneo
Illustrating the pilgrimage routes around Mount Yudono, one of the Three Mountains of Dewa, this rough map was distributed throughout the country as guide maps for pilgrims. Two versions exist: one depicts the area east of Yamagata Castle, with the Zao mountain range and Risshakuji Temple (Yamadera) in the background; the other depicts the area west of Yamagata Castle, with the Three Mountains of Dewa in the background and Mount Gassan in the center.
This image represents the eastern side of Yamagata Castle. Here, pilgrims dressed in white kimono and conical sedge hats walk along the main intersection of Yōkamachi, the town depicted in the foreground. This town was a main pit stop for pilgrims en route to Mount Yudono, with one inn hosting more than 300 lodgers at its peak in summer. Around the town are shops selling Dewa Sanzan-themed hanging scrolls and souvenirs such as safflower rouge, lacquerware, ceramics, medicinal products and more.