Along the Eastern Road

On Friday, November 4, JASWDC partnered with the Luther W. Brady Art Gallery to support Along the Eastern Road, an exhibition centered around Utagawa Hiroshige’s fifty-three stations of the Tokaido. A tea ceremony, hosted by the Urasenke Tankokai Washington DC Association, began the event.

Over fifty guests took part in a traditional tea ceremony. The talented teishu, or host, studied the Japanese tea ceremony in Kyoto for over ten years. As the ceremony moved forward, a member of Urasenke Tankokai explained each step of the tea-making and drinking process. Afterwards, guests asked a wide range of questions, illustrating their interest in traditional Japanese culture.

 William Atkins/GWU

Following the tea ceremony, guests were free to enjoy yakitori, tea, and sake, generously provided by Hatsukuru Sake, as well as the Tokaido exhibition. The Tokaido, meaning “Eastern Sea Road”, connected Edo (now Tokyo) and Kyoto. It was one of five roads used to connect Edo with the rest of Japan. Hiroshige created a series of woodprints based on his travels, transporting horses from the Shogun in Edo to Kyoto’s imperial court, along the Tokaido in 1832. Hiroshige was so moved by the beauty of Japan’s natural landscapes, he created 55 prints, one for the beginning, end, and each of the fifty-three post stations along the Tokaido. The exhibition will be open at the Luther W. Brady Art Gallery until December 2, 2016.

William Atkins/GWU