Koikawa Shōzan 恋川笑山 (1821–1907)
Sleeping Along the Fifty-three Stations
(Tabimakura gojūsan-tsugi), vol. 1-3 of 3
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868), c. 1848–1854
Artist-proof for woodblock-printed book; ink on paper
Purchase, Richard Lane Collection, 2003
(2008.0461)

This rare, monochromatic “working proof” of Sleeping Along the Fifty-three Stations (Tabimakura gojūsan-tsugi) was intended for experiments with various color designs in preparation for the final, full-color printing.

Kawasaki, depicted on the left page, was the second station on the Tōkaidō highway, and Totsuka, featured on the right page, was the fifth station. Both were located in modern-day Kanagawa Prefecture, close to the capital of Edo.

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