Shimabara (Moonlight, Gate of Licensed Quarter)

This print is part of Hiroshige's series "Famous Views of Kyoto". Hiroshige focused on landscape and flora/fauna genres for his prints, which were unusual subjects in the early 1800s; beautiful women, kabuki actors and other scenes of the 'floating world' were much more popular. Although Hiroshige's style is unique, it is thought he derived inspiration for his landscapes from Hokusai's seminal series "36 View of Mount Fuji".