Hiroshige’s Hanging Turtle of Mannen Bridge

A turtle hangs above a river in Utagawa Hiroshige’s 1857 view of Mannen Bridge in Fukagawa, with Mount Fuji in the distance. Why would the artist place the animal so prominently in an otherwise peaceful landscape? Explore Edo ideas about longevity, compassion and the practice of releasing living creatures, as well as the visual choices behind this famous Japanese woodblock print.