Night Rain at Azumata from the series Eight Views of the Environs of Edo

The series Eight Views of the Environs of Edo stemmed from a private commission print for the Taishido Poetry club, by a well known publisher called Sanoya Kihei. The club wanted Hiroshige to create a stunning series that would highlight their poetry, which was based on popular places in Edo. The poetry club commissioned the series to illustrate their poems based on famous locations around Edo. First edition prints from this series include three or fours verses of poetry across the top, while late impressions feature only a single verse.

This print features a gray sky and scattered trees across the skyline. The blue water is the only use of color in the print, accentuating the feeling of life within the river.