Ommayagashi, Sumida River

Utagawa Hiroshige

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Oumayagashi ferry, seen in Hokusai's print, was a popular means of crossing the Sumida River at the center of Edo, because passengers enjoyed viewing the city's famous sites from the ferry. In Hiroshige's print, members of the lowest class of street prostitute, known as yotaka ("night hawks"), are shown taking the ferry to work.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art