This print is from the masterpiece series by Kiyochika entitled "Celebrated Places of Tokyo." It became famous for the style of drawing light and shadow called "kosen-ga" that was influenced by Western painting. Expressions not found in previous ukiyo-e can be seen, such as the light and dark of the sky with rain clouds, the reflection in the water, and depictions of rain without drawing rain lines, suggesting the major changes in the times shifting from the Edo era to the Meiji era. The small back view of a woman drawn at the edge is impressive and gives a sense of the story.

“Bridge Ohashi and Atake in Sudden Shower” is part of a series Hiroshige created in his later years entitled “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo'' depicting various landscapes around Edo. It is also well known for being imitated by the Impressionist master Van Gogh. Ohashi was a bridge that spanned from Hamacho in Nihonbashi to Fukagawa Rokkenbori and was also called “Atake” because the shipyard of the Shogunate's official ship Atake-maru was located here. With a bold composition overlooking the large bridge, this is a masterpiece full of vivid sensations and lyrically depicts the intensity of a sudden summer shower.

Shono is now a part of the city of Suzuka. In Hiroshige's time it was only a small station among the mountains, with nothing calling for the traveler's attention except for small bales of dried rice sold as souvenirs. This print is notable for the very natural, unexaggerated representation of the noise of the shower and has been evaluated highly from an aesthetic point of view since the Meiji Period.

It is one of the masterpieces of this series. Splendid is a compact arrangement, with a cuckoo flitting in an early summer rain, glittering streaks of rain (with mica inlaid) and a scarlet little flag knitted together.The artistic craftsmanship of the engraver and the printer of this color work cannot be overlooked.Mica-setting in the rain and shading in the grey clouds are gone in later prints.

This depiction of a sudden downpour over Nihonbashi is one of the finest works from the ”Famous Places of Edo” series by Hiroshige. The series was published by Kikakudo. As rain begins to fall from an otherwise bright sky, people crossing the bridge hurry along under their umbrellas. Edo Castle, visible beyond the bridge, and Mount Fuji in the far distance are softly veiled by the rain. The transience of a passing shower is captured with remarkable immediacy. A masterful example of Hiroshige’s exceptional ability to evoke atmosphere and emotion through landscape.