Utagawa Hiroshige Tōkaidō Gojūsan-tsugi 1979 Kodansha Limited Facsimile No.1 Japan

Utagawa Hiroshige – The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō (東海道五拾三次)
Limited facsimile edition by Kodansha, Japan, 1979 (Shōwa 54)
Edition limited to 800 copies – this is Copy No. 1 (Publisher’s copy)

Description

A complete museum-grade facsimile edition of Utagawa Hiroshige’s iconic woodblock series The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō, published by Kōdansha (講談社) in 1979 as part of its Fine Art Heritage Series.
Only 800 copies were produced worldwide; this is Copy No. 1, the very first in the numbered sequence – a publisher’s reference copy, preserved in outstanding condition with its original red cloth case, gold-foil title label, commentary booklet, and Kodansha documentation.

Issued at a museum-level publication price of ¥180 000, this portfolio was intended for museums and major collectors.
It reproduces all 55 prints (including Nihonbashi and Kyōto Sanjō Ōhashi) in the original ōban format, printed on handmade washi paper with soft matte surface.
Each color was manually separated from museum-held originals and printed in 6–8 pigment layers, recreating the tonal depth and texture of Edo woodblock impressions.

The presentation case is bound in red linen with gold-foil title and historic Hoeidō seal – a tribute to the 1833–34 first edition.
Includes route map, commentary booklet, and editorial foreword on Hiroshige’s legacy.

Technique / Printing Method

Printing method: multicolor offset printing (多色オフセット印刷, tashoku ofusetto insatsu) – a photo-lithographic art reproduction technique developed by Kōdansha in the 1970s.
This is not CMYK and not stone lithography, but a refined multi-layer process emulating the pigment texture and register of Edo woodblock prints (mokuhan-fū).
Each plate was manually aligned to achieve the delicate color balance and surface grain characteristic of nishiki-e impressions.

Historical and Artistic Context

Hiroshige (1797–1858) transformed Japanese landscape art with his lyrical depictions of travel and nature.
The Tōkaidō Gojūsan-tsugi (1833–1834, Hoeidō edition) links Edo and Kyoto through 53 stations – a journey through geography and emotion.
Kōdansha’s 1979 edition, supervised by leading art editors before the digital era, remains one of Japan’s finest facsimiles of pre-modern woodblock art.

Perfect for collectors and for elegant wall display in galleries, cultural interiors, or architectural spaces seeking authentic Edo aesthetics.

Technical Details

• Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858)
• Series: The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō (東海道五拾三次)
• Publisher: Kōdansha Ltd. (講談社)
• Year: 1979 (Shōwa 54)
• Edition: Limited to 800 copies (Copy No. 1, Publisher’s copy)
• Printing: Multicolor photo-lithographic offset (tashoku ofusetto insatsu)
• Paper: Handmade washi with visible fibers, matte finish
• Sheets (image area): approx. 23 × 36 cm
• Mount (passe-partout): approx. 35 × 51 cm
• Case: Red linen portfolio with gold-foil title label and metal clasps
• Language: Japanese commentary booklet included
• Condition: Excellent; minor paper ripples on a few mounts, bright colors, clean surfaces
• Provenance: Private Japanese collection (acquired 1990s)
• Original museum issue price: ¥180 000
• Current offered price: €1200

Collector’s Note

This is Copy No. 1 of the 800 issued – a publisher’s reference copy, rarely released outside Japan.
Kōdansha discontinued all hand-supervised art facsimiles in the early 1980s, making this edition historically significant and highly collectible.
Comparable boxed sets (Hokusai Manga, Ehon Tōkaidō, etc.) have achieved similar or higher valuations at auction.
A unique opportunity to acquire the first-numbered, museum-standard edition of Hiroshige’s masterpiece — ideal for display or collection.

Shipping

Safe and tracked shipping from Latvia (FedEx, EMS)