Hitachi Province, Daijingu Shrine in Kashima (Hitashi Kashima Daijingu)

Utagawa Hiroshige (Ando Hiroshige) was a Japanese artist specialising in images of the floating world (ukiyo-e), with a particular interest in townscapes and landscapes. Major series he designed for woodblock prints include 'Fifty-three stations of the Tokaido' (Tokaido Gojusan-tsugi) (1833-1834), 'Pictures of famous places of the sixty-odd provinces' (Rokujuyoshu meisho zue) (1853-56) and 'Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji' (Fuji sanjurokkei) 1852 and 1858.

'Pictures of famous places of the sixty-odd provinces' comprises 68 views from across Japan and a scene of Edo (Tokyo). All images in the series are presented in a vertical format and most from a high vantage point which provides depth to the landscape. This impression from the series illustrates the venerated Shinto Daijingu Shrine in Kashima, marked by the torii gate at the entrance to the shrine which is shown at high tide.