Ukiyoe EDO-LIFE(2018–2022)

The Bird Cafe

We visit an Edo-style open-air teahouse, where the townspeople enjoyed refreshments, conversation ... and the company of exotic birds. For them, these outings were about more than a good time.

A Stylish Concert

We attend a New Year's concert at a samurai residence, where a master koto player delights a crowd of gorgeously dressed celebrity-types. Lounging in the best seat in the house ... is no ordinary V.I.P.

The Great Race

It's edge-of-your-seat excitement as a high-speed transport boat departs for Edo carrying a rich cargo. Find out what's on the line for the stalwart crew as we break down their strategy.

Edo Aquatics

We go out onto a river where pleasure seekers take in an aquatic show. At first glance a display of rag-tag theatricality, the performers are actually practicing a centuries-old form of swimming.

Late Summer Fun

Summer is winding down, and tonight down by Edo Bay the streets are filled with professional entertainers, food sellers and revelers. It's getting late, but this party is just getting started.

A Kitty's Dreams

In the pleasure quarters of Edo, a precious house cat stares longingly out the window at a crowd of people going to and fro. Telltale signs scattered about the room reveal why it appears to be upset.

Will Sparks Fly?

A dapper young man sits in a teahouse with his older companion when a young woman catches his eye. From the way they're looking at each other, it's clear that there's something going on between them.

The Star Festival

For the annual Tanabata Star Festival, families across Edo flew bamboo stalks adorned with strips of paper and ornaments representing wishes. We examine what their wishes tell us about their lives.

Two Scenic Views

We break down a print that warps space to allow the viewer to be in 2 places at once: Shinobazu Pond, known for its lotus flowers, and the Sumida River, one of Edo's busiest waterways.

Unruly Catfish

Japan is a seismically active land; the Edo period was no exception. In the aftermath of a major 1855 earthquake, an angry guardian deity sets off on a quest to capture those considered responsible.

A Napping Boy Dreams of Monsters

When a little boy's nap is disturbed by a bad dream, his mother comes to his rescue. What was terrorizing him? We examine a print that shows how much the Edo townspeople cherished their kids.

Ritual Purification at Roben Falls

We journey to a sacred mountain where pilgrims are purifying themselves in a waterfall before moving on. Some of them have even brought along offerings ... and it turns out they have something to prove.

The Niwaka Costume Festival

In the pleasure quarter of Yoshiwara, a high-ranking courtesan tends to a patron, while a jester attempts to entertain with an eccentric costume -- hinting at the Edo townspeople's affinity for cosplay.

Clam Digging at the Beach in Style

It's spring, and a group of young men and women have come to the beach for some recreational clam-digging. The sea breeze mixes with the smell of freshly-cooked seafood. There's also love in the air.

Cooling Off Along Takinogawa River

We travel to a well-known tourist resort just outside of Edo, where day-trippers are enjoying river recreation and forest walks, praying at local shrines, and sitting down for riverside picnics.

The Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai

Discover story behind the "36 Views of Mt. Fuji" woodprint series; "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" by Hokusai. It is not just a huge wave and Mt. Fuji, the boat caught in the wave have a reason.

Reproduction of Nihonbashi: Morning Scene by Utagawa Hiroshige

Mornings begin early for fishmongers and vegetable peddlers at Nihonbashi Bridge, and here is a reason. They are not going to bow to the lord's procession. The bustling scene from everyday Edo life.

The Series Summer Outfits by Kitagawa Utamaro

At dusk in summer, a woman is absorbed in reading a letter. This chic lady is actually an advertisement model for Mitsui Echigoya, one of the top kimono fabric stores in Edo.

Plum Estate Kameido by Utagawa Hiroshige

With its splendid branches and white plum blossoms, this famous painting is known for captivating Van Gogh. Discover why people were able to tell this was a specific tree at Kameido Umeyashiki.

Two Faces of Mount Fuji

We observe "Red Fuji" and "Black Fuji," 2 dramatically different views of Japan's most famous mountain, captured by the artist Hokusai. What did Mount Fuji mean to the people of Edo? "Southern Wind at Clear Dawn," "Rainstorm beneath the Summit" from the series "Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji" (1830-31) by Katsushika Hokusai

The Man with the Piercing Gaze

Off to Go Bathing

A mother and daughter brave the rain to visit their local bathhouse, exchanging words with a young girl along the way. We learn that regular bathing was an essential part of life for the townspeople.

100 Ghost Stories

A group of kids have gathered to play a game where 100 ghost stories were shared as night slowly closed in. We find out that this chilling activity was actually about instilling important life skills.

A Striking View

Rugged cliffs and a river frame a picturesque view of Mt. Fuji at a popular sightseeing spot near the city center. A nearby bridge turns out to be an invaluable lifeline for the Edo townspeople.

The Mystery Tower

Down along the Sumida River, boats travel to and fro transporting cargo. On the skyline beyond a curious structure towers over its surroundings, eerily resembling a modern-day Tokyo landmark.

Enoshima Crossing

Pilgrims have gathered on a beach along the Kanagawa coast, near Kamakura. Their destination is Enoshima, an island offering leisure, adventure, and spirituality. But first, they had to get across...

Night on the Town

A full moon shines above a bustling neighborhood. Featured prominently are kabuki theaters...on hiatus. Still, people have come out to take in the nightlife, and hopefully a celebrity sighting or two.

Folding Fans

We visit a store selling folding fans, where a young customer is having trouble making up his mind. The accessories were popular because the shape of the open fan symbolized increasing prosperity.

Sacred Cranes

Two cranes hang out on the edge of a series of paddy fields where a man walks back and forth scattering something on the ground. They've been lured to a falconry preserve...but all is not as it seems.