#104 Senju no Ohashi

The 104th views in Utagawa Hiroshige’s “100 Famous Views of Edo” is Senju no Ohashi. The original picture is here.

Hiroshige often used a bird’s-eye view in his paintings, and it’s always a struggle to try and imitate this. Or rather, it’s almost impossible to imitate, so I’m sorry to have to use a photo from the ground level perspective this time.

The Senju Bridge over the Sumida River and, in front of it, is probably an aqueduct.
In the original picture, you can see a small raft or boat landing in the lower left, but now fishing boats and pleasure boats are moored at the foot of the bridge.

Come to think of it, in the artist’s picture, there are mountains in the background of the bridge, so there is a high possibility that I am standing in the wrong direction of the bridge. However, since I can’t see that far anyway, I’ll just settle for this time. Thanks to standing on this side, I can also get Skytree in the picture if I step back a little.

It may also be unusual to be able to take a photo of a bridge of this scale from directly underneath it with a good amount of light. It has a lot of impact when taken with a wide-angle lens.

The stern of a houseboat moored in the foreground. Perhaps it’s a low rise materials transport ship passing under the bridge.

By the way, Senju Bridge is also associated with a famous cultural figure from the Edo period, in addition to the picture.

Can you see it in this photo?

It is said that great haiku poet Matsuo Basho began his journey on the “Oku no Hosomichi” (Narrow Road to the Deep North) from the foot of this bridge in 1689. He came here by boat from his home in Fukagawa, and then set off overland from Senju. So that’s how it was.

The famous haiku

“The birds cry as the spring goes by, and the fish’s eyes are full of tears”

was apparently composed here. Senju Ohashi Bridge is quite atmospheric.