The 88th scene of Utagawa Hiroshige’s “100 Famous Views of Edo” is Inokashira Pond Benten Shrine. Here is the original picture.
Even before, there was a strong sense of “feeling like a different era” due to the hundreds of years of separation, but from the point where it enters the “autumn” section of the “100 Famous Views of Edo”, Hiroshige’s attention to composition becomes extraordinary, and as someone who is following him with great difficulty, it is becoming increasingly difficult to “take a photo that looks similar to the original painting at the original location”.
Anyhow, I went to try to take a picture of the pond at Inokashira Park, with Benten-sama in the background, to see if I could somehow make a picture that looked like the original, but I was still too naive. I’m sorry about this.
If I move back any further to take the photo, the shrine will be hidden by the trees, and even if I don’t use a drone, it seems difficult to include the surface of the pond in the background in the composition from above.
Inokashira Pond, which lies on the border between Mitaka City and Musashino City, is said to be the furthest place from the center of Edo in the famous series of “100 views”. I thought I might be able to manage it because I was somewhat familiar with the area, but… it was a real shame as a “100 Views” photo.
The trees that have started to change color and the vermillion shrine are quite photogenic.
In frustration, I’ve decided to post a few photos of my walk through Inokashira Park in autumn to make up for it.
It’s a very deep and rich autumn scene.
So, that was the story of walking through Inokashira Park as part of “100 Views” project.
The locations of the “100 Views” photographed this time
