Reading the title, if you thought "Wasn't it 53 Stages of the Tokaido that Hiroshige, the ukiyo-e artist, created?" - you are right. "57 Stages of the Tokaido" is an exhibition held now in Mikimoto Pearl Island.
Hiroshige's 53 Stages of the Tokaido depicts 53 stages along Tokaido, a road connecting Edo (current Tokyo) and Kyo (current Kyoto) . 4 more stages of Kyokaido, a road connecting Kyo and Osaka, was added to Tokaido to connect Edo (political centre) and Osaka(economic centre) in 1619 - creating 57 stages to Tokaido.
In "57 Stages of the Tokaido", Kogen Mizutani recreates Hiroshige's "53 Stages of the Tokaido" using various seashells. Mizutani is Japan's leading seashell craftsman. 5 original works depicting stages of Kyokaido and the terminal Kyobashi in Osaka are exhibited too. This exhibition also marks a completion of his 14 years long work on recreating stages of Tokaido.
Place: Pearl Museum in Mikimoto Pearl Island(Access)
Duration: ~2011.4.3
Hours: 8:30~17:00(Jan. to March), 8:30~17:30(April to Oct)
Admission (for Mikimoto Pearl Island): Adults 1500yen, Elementary & Junior High School students 750yen
Sue
-NARAWALK guide
