Untitled set of the six Crystal Rivers

Publisher: Sano-ya Kihei (Kikakudô)

1847-1848

 

The Crystal Rivers are also known as the Jewel Rivers and the Tama Rivers.  This series is not listed in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961).  Each panel is about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban.

Title: The Ide Crystal River in Yamashiro Province (Yamashiro no kuni Ide no Tamagawa)

Description: Women wading

Note: This river is also known as the Hagi

Title: The Tôi Crystal River in Settsu Province (Settsu no kuni Tôi no Tamagawa)

Description: Women fulling (removing creases from) cloth

Note: This river is also known as the Mishima and as the Kinuta

Title:The Lespedeza Crystal River in Ômi Province (Ômi no kuni Hagi no Tamagawa)

Description: Three women by flowering lespedeza bushes 

Note: This river is more commonly called the Noji

Title: The Kôya Crystal River in Kii Province (Kii no kuni Kôya no Tamagawa)

Description: Three women by a river

Title: The Chôfu Crystal River in Musashi Province (Musashi no kuni Chôfu Tamagawa)

Description: Women washing clothes

These are two panels from another state of the above triptych.  Note that the woman in the center is now wearing a striped kimono.

Title: The Plover (Chidori) Crystal River in Mutsu Province (Mutsu no kuni Chidori no Tamagawa)

Description: Women taking water from the river with plovers flying overhead

Note: This river is also called the Noda

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