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New Year's Eve Foxfires at the Changing Tree, Ōji

ca. 1857
Not on view
Foxes gather at the large, old enoki (hackberry) tree on New Year's Eve to prepare to pay homage at the Ōji Inari shrine, the headquarters of the Inari cult in eastern Japan (Kantō). The cult centers on the god of the rice field, for whom the fox serves as messenger. On the way to Ōji, the foxes have set a number of kitsunebi (foxfires), which farmers count to predict the upcoming rice harvest. Hiroshige's print successfully conveys the mysterious atmosphere of the rite as the procession of foxes bearing fires approaches from the distant, dark forest under a starry sky.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 名所江戸百景　王子装束ゑの木大晦日の狐火
  • Title: New Year's Eve Foxfires at the Changing Tree, Ōji
  • Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige (Japanese, Tokyo (Edo) 1797–1858 Tokyo (Edo))
  • Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
  • Date: ca. 1857
  • Culture: Japan
  • Medium: Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
  • Dimensions: Image: 12 13/16 × 8 5/8 in. (32.5 × 21.9 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1925
  • Object Number: JP1470
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

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Foxes Meeting at Oji, Utagawa Hiroshige Japanese, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Japan
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Shozokuenoki Tree at Oji: Fox–fires on New Years Eve
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Small View of Yedo, Utagawa Hiroshige Japanese, Print, Japanese
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Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), or The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)

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