Shikioriori: Living Through the Seasons in Edo Japan

Japanese woodblock print of people near a river

Ando Hiroshige, Japanese (1797鈥1858), Kasumigaseki no zu [View of Kasumigaseki], 1854, from the series 鈥淭艒t艒 meisho鈥 [Famous Views of the Eastern Capital], woodcut, gift of Helen Baker Jones, in memory of her father, James H. Baker, former President of CU (1892-1914), 67.333.17

Japanese woodblock print depicting cherry blossoms under the moonlight

Ando Hiroshige, Japanese (1797鈥1858), Shin Yoshiwara Naka-no-ch艒 yozakura [Cherry Blossoms at Night on Naka-no-ch艒 in the New Yoshiwara] 1840-1842, from the series 鈥淔amous Places in the Eastern Capital鈥 (T艒to meisho), woodcut, gift of Helen Baker Jones, in memory of her father, James H. Baker, former President of CU (1892-1914), 67.333.23

Shikioriori: Living Through the Seasons in Edo Japan

On view February 12 - June 28, 2016

During the Edo period (1603鈥1868), the rhythm of the year included activities and events tied to the changing seasons. The Japanese expression shikioriori, or 鈥渟eason by season,鈥 describes these delicate changes in nature. This installation juxtaposes ukiyo-e prints鈥攍iterally 鈥淧ictures of the Floating World鈥濃 alongside selections from popular literature and comic poetry (蝉别苍谤测奴), to show how people lived day to day, and season by season.

Curated by Leah Justin-Jinich, masters聽candidate, department of Asian languages and civilizations聽