Casgliadau Arlein

This scene depicts the Kisokaido highway as it approaches the 15th stage, the town of Itahana. One of the five major highways developed through Japan in the early modern period, the Kisokaido travelled north from Edo in sixty nine stages through the main island's central mountains. In mide winter, the travellers are dressed in straw hats, straw raincoats and heavy cloaks.

The Kisokaido series consists of 70 images in total. Eisen designed 24, and Hiroshige the remainder. In its first edition, this print was sold as a single image, and so included Eisen's signature. When the series was later issued as a complete set, Eisen's name appeared only on the outer wrapping. Eisen was much influenced by the work of Hokusai, evident in this picture in the lanky form of the pine trees lining the highway.