Hiroshige Museum (Yamagata Prefecture)

A museum in Kamata Honcho, in the center of Tendo City. It exhibits works by ukiyo-e artist Utagawa Hiroshige, known for series such as The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido.

In the late Edo period, the Oda family of the Tendo Domain fell into financial hardship, including soliciting donations from many wealthy merchants and farmers. It is said they bestowed original paintings by Utagawa Hiroshige as substitutes for repaying those debts and donations, and as a token of thanks. Around 200 to 300 scroll paintings are said to have been created at the time, and this group of works is known as “Tendo Hiroshige.” With this connection, a museum opened in Tendo City in 1997, the 200th anniversary of Hiroshige’s birth.

Inside the museum, works by Hiroshige from the first through the fifth generation are displayed under a variety of themes, including ukiyo-e prints, original paintings, and woodblock-printed books. In the gallery that uses framed displays, you can view the delicate craftsmanship of ukiyo-e print carving and printing up close.

Another must-see is the sword gallery, which features the locally connected “Gassan-to” swords.

The museum shop carries postcards, exhibition catalogs, ukiyo-e goods, and more—worth stopping by when choosing souvenirs.