【BLOG】Introducing Kaika-e and Yokohama-e
Panoramic View of the Port of Yokohama
During the Edo period, ukiyo-e prints typically depicted the daily lives and customs of common people, as well as kabuki actors and courtesans. Kaika-e, however, are ukiyo-e prints that illustrate Japan’s rapid Westernization—known as the Civilization and Enlightenment movement—during the final years of the Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji period.
After Japan was pressured to open its ports by the arrival of the Black Ships, fortune-seeking foreigners flocked to the country, and the city of Yokohama developed at remarkable speed. Kaika-e captured this new era, documenting the Westernized urban landscapes, international expositions, the opening of railways, and other images symbolizing the dawn of modern Japan.
These prints often feature Western-style architecture and steam locomotives, accompanied by newly introduced items such as Western clothing, clocks, and street lamps.
Although Yokohama-e is considered a type of kaika-e, the term specifically refers to works depicting Yokohama’s opening or scenes of the city itself.
In the same way, while we do not have any at this time, Nagasaki-e—inspired by Nagasaki’s long history as a center of foreign exchange—are also a category of kaika-e. Other port cities such as Niigata and Kobe likely inspired similar works, though no clearly defined genre terms exist for them.
As the writer puts these facts together, a fundamental question arises:
Why was Japan in a state of seclusion to begin with?
Christianity spread rapidly throughout Japan in the latter half of the 16th century. However, the Tokugawa shogunate viewed the religion with suspicion, believing it to be a destabilizing influence. In 1613, the shogunate issued the Edict of Prohibition, and restrictions gradually intensified. The sakoku isolation policy was fully established by 1639 and remained in place for over 200 years until Japan reopened in 1854 following Commodore Perry’s arrival.
During the Meiji period, a mineral-based dye called aniline began to be imported from overseas. This new dye made it possible to produce vivid reds, replacing the previously expensive safflower dye. As a result, red—rarely used in Edo-period prints—came into bold, expressive use. Artists colored entire skies red, used striking red backgrounds, and even introduced prints where the skin of kabuki actors was tinted red.
Japan and the Railway
Toyokuni III (Kunisada): Steam Train Departing Yokohama
The world’s first steam railway opened in Britain in 1825. The first locomotive to reach Japan was actually a model brought by Russians in 1853 during diplomatic negotiations related to Japan’s opening.
After the Meiji Restoration, the new government committed to constructing a national railway system, beginning with lines in the Yokohama area.
Before steam locomotives appeared in Japan, walking was the most common means of travel for ordinary people. For instance, crossing the Tōkaidō Highway on foot typically took many days, and merchants traveling back and forth between Kyoto and Edo were said to make substantial profits through their long-distance trade. With the introduction of railways, distances that once required days could now be traversed in just a few hours, bringing revolutionary changes to commerce and society.
Because ukiyo-e served as a popular medium for spreading information and capturing public interest, the rapidly developing port cities—and later, railways—became perfect subjects for these prints.
- J