Ukiyoe EDO-LIFE - Season 4

[Rains of the Fifth Month]
A mother and daughter brave the rain to visit their local bathhouse, exchanging words with a young girl along the way. We learn that regular bathing was an essential part of life for the townspeople.

A group of kids have gathered to play a game where 100 ghost stories were shared as night slowly closed in. We find out that this chilling activity was actually about instilling important life skills.

Rugged cliffs and a river frame a picturesque view of Mt. Fuji at a popular sightseeing spot near the city center. A nearby bridge turns out to be an invaluable lifeline for the Edo townspeople.

Down along the Sumida River, boats travel to and fro transporting cargo. On the skyline beyond a curious structure towers over its surroundings, eerily resembling a modern-day Tokyo landmark.

Pilgrims have gathered on a beach along the Kanagawa coast, near Kamakura. Their destination is Enoshima, an island offering leisure, adventure, and spirituality. But first, they had to get across...

[Night View of Saruwaka-machi]
A full moon shines above a bustling neighborhood. Featured prominently are kabuki theaters...on hiatus. Still, people have come out to take in the nightlife, and hopefully a celebrity sighting or two.

[The Fan Shop Mieido]
We visit a store selling folding fans, where a young customer is having trouble making up his mind. The accessories were popular because the shape of the open fan symbolized increasing prosperity.

[Minowa, Kanasugi, Mikawashima]
Two cranes hang out on the edge of a series of paddy fields where a man walks back and forth scattering something on the ground. They've been lured to a falconry preserve...but all is not as it seems.

[A Children's Calligraphy Gathering]
We visit a terakoya, a school teaching reading and writing. Today the young students have come dressed in their finest, and are busy putting brush to paper to show off their calligraphy skills.