Series
Ukiyoe EDO-LIFE
Documentary
Centuries ago, Tokyo was known as Edo. More than a million people enjoyed life in this small but abundant city. They live on in ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Each episode is a deep dive into a single print, and an exploration of the soul of Old Tokyo. We examine works by artists like Hokusai and Hiroshige not just for their aesthetic and historical value, but for the stories they tell of everyday life. That is how the people of Edo themselves enjoyed this mass-produced medium.
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Seasons & episodes
S1 · 5 epS2 · 15 epS3 · 16 epS4 · 9 ep
1The Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai29 Mar 2018 · 5mDiscover 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.
2Reproduction of Nihonbashi: Morning Scene by Utagawa Hiroshige29 Mar 2018 · 5mMornings 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.
3The Series Summer Outfits by Kitagawa Utamaro30 Mar 2018 · 5mAt 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.
4Plum Estate Kameido by Utagawa Hiroshige30 Mar 2018 · 5mWith 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.
5Three Beauties of the Present Day by Kitagawa Utamaro31 Mar 2018 · 5mThe top 3 female celebrities in Edo: Tomimoto Toyohina, Takashima Ohisa and Naniwaya Kita. See how Utamaro, the master of female beauty has illustrated them so differently.
Details
- First aired
- 29 Mar 2018
- Last aired
- 31 Mar 2022
- Status
- Ended
- Language
- English
- Network
- NHK WORLD-JAPAN
- Episodes
- 45
