Utagawa Hiroshige III
1877 (Meiji 10)
Donated by Tanba Tsuneo
The Straits of Tsugaru are a producing area for Japanese kelp. Since the Edo period (1603-1867), such kelp has been a precious commodity, shipped to the Kyoto and Osaka regions from Aomori Prefecture.
Kelp that had been allowed to grow for two years would be harvested with a tool resembling a long pole, with the kelp wrapped up on the pole and loaded onto the ship.