Hiroshige Wood Cuts

My final post on the Nakasendo Walk.

We spent a few hours in Ena at a very fine museum where we saw a special show of Hiroshige wood cuts. Hiroshige drew 47 of the 69 post towns on the Nakasendo Way. This is Magome, one of the towns we enjoyed. Hiroshige's prints inspired many people to visit the post towns. In this period, the only way private citizens could travel using the official roads was for the purpose of pilgrimage. Everyone with itchy feet became, by necessity, a pilgrim. In all the Hiroshige wood cuts where people are pictured, they have something important they're carrying - a palenque for transporting a person, a pack on their backs containing documents, goods to trade or food.

And like pilgrims of yore, you can see my husband has thought his back pack contents through carefully and included his one absolute bottom-line essential, The New Yorker. You never want to get too far out of touch with civilization. My apologies to Hiroshige but don't you think Richard, with a few wardrobe adjustments could blend into the scene?