TOTETSU (TAO-TIEH) THE LEGENDARY ANIMALS FIVE GREAT SEKKU NOH MASK .
NOH PLAYS THE FOUR DEVAS THE FOUR GODS SEVEN GODS OF FORTUNES
SUMO KOI TOKAIDO 53 STAGES (1) TOKAIDO 53 STAGES (2)
THE GREAT PIECES (1) THE GREAT PIECES (2) NATURE (1) NATURE (2)
NATURE (3) NATURE (4) NATURE (5) NATURE (6)
NATURE (7) . . .

GRAND TRIO > TOKAIDO 53 STAGES (2)


F58
, Hakone is one of the most famous hot spring resort areas near Mt. Fuji. In ancient times, Hakone was famous because it was located on the most difficult mountain pass in Japan. The design on the cap is from Hiroshige's original Tokaido 53Tsugi. The design on the barrel is "Son-uno Fuji", viewing Mt. Fuji from a rainy town ( from Hokusai's original of Fugaku 36Kei).

F59, Mariko (name of a place)
The design on the cap describing the early spring in Mariko, and the design on the barrel describes the winter time in Mariko, a place known for its Tororo Jiru (special yam soup)served at Chamise (tea shops) several hundred years ago. There are still many restaurants selling this soup today, and there is a place built exactly like the house on the barrel in Hiroshige's picture selling the soup. There is a temple called Saioku-ji (Saioku temple) at Togetsuho (Togetsu ridge). The name was given as Togetsu means "to puff up the moon" as if the moon is puffed up over the ridge. As depicted on the design on the barrel, the winter in Mariko is very severe and all days are dark. The journey onward from this town is another notoriously difficult pass waiting for the travelers. Both designs are from Hiroshige's originals of Tokaido 53Tsugi.


F60, Kakegawa (a city in Shizuoka Prefecture)
In Japanese history, Kakegawa was rather famous for her castle. The Daimyo at the time was Yamanouchi Kazutoyo who was loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu after the death of Toyotomi Hiyoshi in 1600. The castle was recently reconstructed, along with some ancient buildings and Buke-yashiki (Samurai's residences).


F61, Sanjo Ohashi (Sanjo Bridge)
The Sanjo Bridge, built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was located at Third Street over Kamo River in Kyoto. If travelers went to Edo (Tokyo) from Kyoto, this bridge was the first station of their journey. A five minute walk from the west side of the bridge, there was a famous hotel called Ikedaya where the Kinno-ha (loyalists for the emperor) were wiped out by Sabaku-ha, the supporters for Shogun, Kondo Isami's Shinsen Gumi (Shinsen Team, similar to hired troops for Tokugawa Shogunate) when they had a meeting to stage a coup against the Shogunate in 1864. The clash, called Ikedaya Sodo, was the beginning of the end of the Shogunate era. The hotel was demolished long ago and there is only a monument standing at the site today. They said that the building on the site was occupied by Burger King before and now by a "Pachinkoya", a pinball house.


 
F58
F59
F60
F61
Model MSRP In U.S. Limited Artist
F58, Hakone (Name of Place) $5,800.00 30 Masanori
F59, Mariko (Name of Place) $5,800.00 30 Masanori
F60, Kakegawa (Name of City) $5,800.00 30 Masanori
F61, Sanjo Ohashi (Sanjo Bridge) $5,800.00 30 Masanori