Snow-covered winter scenes in ukiyo-e paintings.

Ukiyo-e paintings were popular from the 17th to the 19th centuries during the Edo period (1603-1868), when Japan was almost completely isolated from the outside world. The themes in ukiyo-e paintings often depicted the luxurious and hedonistic lives of the Japanese people during the latter half of the 18th century, portraying historical and folk tales, scenic spots, or entertainment taking place in theaters, restaurants, and tea houses. The main characters were often courtesans, kabuki actors, geisha, or sumo wrestlers.

Later, many famous artists skillfully incorporated characteristic Japanese landscapes such as Mount Fuji, torii gates, Shinto shrines, drum bridges, or even fierce tsunami waves into ukiyo-e paintings, giving this art form its own unique characteristics. And, as in Japanese poetry, the subtle changes of the four seasons are vividly depicted in ukiyo-e paintings.

Spring begins with gentle spring rains, melting the snow on the mountains and bringing cherry blossoms. Summer arrives with the heat and June showers, azaleas, insects, and peonies. Autumn is magnificent with the vibrant yellow, orange, and red hues of maple leaves (momiji). And in winter, the fields and mountains turn gray as the branches are stripped bare. Nature dons a cold, desolate white cloak of snow, and everything takes on an ancient beauty. The cold moon, white snow, and fallen leaves are romantic images that many Japanese artists cherish.

The paintingSnow covers Saisho-in TempleHasui Kawase's work evokes a particularly subtle sense of winter's beauty through imagery and color, as in Sakanoemo Iratsume's tanka poem:

On the meadow

under the shade of the pine trees

The snow lies in a magical, ethereal state.

Is there any way to keep it?

Can we prevent the snow from melting?

Indeed, there is poetry in painting, and painting in poetry. Therefore, it is not surprising that ukiyo-e is widely known both inside and outside Japan. Around the end of the 19th century, many European painters turned to ukiyo-e. They were truly impressed by the expressive curves, the use of rich colors, and the free and unrestrained composition of ukiyo-e. Until then, European and American painters had never known the techniques used by ukiyo-e artists. And the ukiyo-e style had a great influence on Impressionist painters such as Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet.

Utagawa Hiroshige was one of the most notable ukiyo-e painters in Europe at the time, particularly within the Impressionist movement: Claude Monet was inspired by the drum bridges (taikobashi) in Hiroshige's paintings to design the garden at his home in Giverny. Drum bridges, a type of bridge originating in China, are semicircular in shape, and when combined with reflections in water, they create the shape of a drum—an effect not depicted by Hiroshige in his paintings.Empty bridge over the Meguro River and sunset hillpart of the painting seriesOne Hundred Scenic Spots of EdoThis collection includes 42 spring paintings, 30 summer paintings, 26 autumn paintings, and 20 winter paintings.

Amidst the snow-covered winter landscape, the Meguro Bridge stands out with its stone structure instead of wood like other bridges. The path across the bridge leads to the famous Meguro Shrine, dedicated to the Buddhist guardian deity Fudō Myōō. Before crossing the bridge, in the lower right corner is the roof of the Shōgatsuya tea house, famous for its sweet bean soup (shiruko mochi). A few travelers walking in the snow are sheltered under umbrellas, hats, or raincoats. Behind the houses is the yūhi no oka (sunset hill), which, combined with the river flowing beside it, creates a stunning view of the Meguro Valley. In terms of color, the white of the snow contrasts with the Prussian blue of the Meguro River, and against the gray sky are snowflakes created simply by leaving the surface blank, without applying any color.

The paintingKinryūzan Shrine in Asakusakick-off of the winter collectionOne Hundred Scenic Spots of EdoThe scene possesses a distinctive atmosphere. Kinryūzan Shrine, dedicated to the Bodhisattva Kannon, located in the Asakusa area, is prominently featured in the painting with a red and green gate called Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), along with a festive lantern. The gaze is directed towards the snow-covered grounds, with figures approaching. The tower on the right and the Niōmon (the gate guarded by two deities) in the center are a striking red contrasting with the pristine white of the snow. This shrine had been rebuilt just two months before Hiroshige painted it, following the 1855 earthquake. The sky shifts from white to black with various shades of gray, interspersed with white snowflakes.

The paintingWoodworking factory in FukagawaEqually surprising is the natural landscape completely covered in snow, evoking a desolate and cold image, further emphasized by cool colors such as the gray sky and deep blue river water, making the scene even more icy. Along the riverbank, timber storage facilities are located outside the city to prevent fires, especially in Fukagawa, east of the Sumida River. In the painting, several wooden beams can be seen cutting diagonally across the scene, from the right and left, combined with the meandering course of the river to give the image a striking appearance.movementin contrast tostillof the landscape shrouded in snow.

Atagoshita and Yabu RoadThis is another painting where snow plays a central role, covering the entire scene. The Atagoshita district is located at the foot of Mount Atagoyama, and many of the estates of feudal lords (daimyō) are also situated here. From Yabukōji Street, situated to the right of a canal, a tall bamboo tree (yabu) can be seen, its branches bent under the snow, with a few sparrows flying above. Bamboo and sparrows, symbols of unity and peace, are also harbingers of happiness. Unlike typical snow-covered scenes, the colors in this painting create striking contrasts, such as the deep blue of the canal with the green of the bamboo branches, or the shades of pink, white, and light blue of the sky, softening the harsh cold of winter.

Bikuni Bridge in the snowThe painting depicts a winter night sky, everything covered in white, with only a peddler hurrying across the bridge. Bikuni Bridge is located near the moat of Edo Castle, surrounded by many brothels and cheap eateries. On the left side is a sign with writing.yama kujira(Mountain whale), a euphemism for wild boar meat, which was banned at the time. To the right were several baskets of yakiimo, a type of whole roasted sweet potato sold on the street; it tasted better than chestnuts. Everything exuded a very simple and unassuming beauty, like when you're trudging through the snow in an empty street and suddenly smell the fragrant aroma of roasted meat and potatoes, like the smell of your own kitchen, comforting the hungry and cold traveler in the bleak winter.

Winter is not only represented by melancholic and lonely landscapes, but also by the childlike joy of playing in the white snow. Ladies building snow cats for princes, barefoot children playing and eating snow in the winter, noblewomen strolling with their children, graceful courtesans... regardless of background, rich or poor, everyone finds it hard to resist the primal emotions that well up in their hearts upon seeing the sparkling white snow of early winter.

Today, when people think of ukiyo-e, they usually picture colorful paintings depicting landscapes and stories of spring, summer, and autumn. However, ukiyo-e also includes paintings of winter scenes. Although not as numerous as those of other seasons, winter scenes in ukiyo-e are far from monotonous; they are incredibly diverse, showcasing all the nuances of Japanese life during the Edo period, against the delicate backdrop of Shinto shrines, the quiet solitude of deserted streets, or the joyful laughter of children playing in the white snow.

Huong Thao