The Hashirii Teahouse, Otsu, from the series the Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido (Hoeido edition)

The last station along the Tokaido Highway, Otsu was massive, the most prosperous station on the highway. This picture looks out from the temporary tea shop set up on the way to the Osaka Barrier from Otsu station. The well there overflowed with fresh water, and tea shop got its name from the well, and was called Hashirii-jaya (literally, “sprinting well tea shop”). Oxen are carrying cargo, and this was a transport route for cargo from Lake Biwa to Kyoto.