18th Station: Ejiri

Ejiri was the castle town surrounding Ejiri Castle, built in 1570. The town was not officially designated as a post station until the early 17th century. In this scene, however, Hiroshige depicts neither travelers along the road nor the village but prefers to show a purely serene seascape. Junks appear anchored in the foreground in front of the fishing village while others sail in the bay towards the distant mountains.

The most magnificent view of Miho no Matsubara could be seen from this station. A 650 year old pine tree called Hagoromo no Matsu stands on this site and is referred to in the famous legend “The Feathered Robe” (Hagoromo) based on the traditional swan maiden motif. It is said to be where the angel wearing Hagoromo floated down. The Miho shrine nearby preserves a piece of her plumage. This station is now the port of Shimizu, the biggest port between Yokohama and Nagoya.