Illustration of Royal Visit to Ueno Park Exhibition

Japanese Color Woodblock Print 

Illustration of Royal Visit to Ueno Park Exhibition

by Kobayashi Ikuhide, 1890

IHL Cat. #512

About This Print

The emperor, empress and crown prince are shown arriving at the Third National Industrial Exhibition in Ueno Park. 

Five industrial expositions were held in Japan during the Meiji era, the first three in Ueno Park, Tokyo (1877, 1881, 1890), and the last two respectively in Kyoto (1895) and Osaka (1903).  Printmakers were quick to create images of the domestic expositions to be sold as souvenirs. For another print showing the royal family arriving at the exhibition see Illustration of the Emperor and Empress Arriving at the Third National Industrial Exhibition

Also see the article Prints of the Emperor Meiji and Empress Haruko.

The Third National Industrial Exhibition

Source: Japan Goes to the World's Fairs: Japanese Art at the Great Expositions in Europe and the United States 1867-1904, Los Angeles County Museum, 2005, p. 52.
The government's original intent was to hold large domestic exhibitions every four years, which would have meant holding an exhibition in 1885; in fact, however, the third exhibition was not held until 1890.  It took place in Ueno Park from April 1 through July 20.  The exhibition included a main hall, art museum, agriculture hall, animal husbandry hall, aquarium, and machinery hall.  The exhibition also featured Japan's first electric train, which was set up to run around the perimeter of the site.

PowerPoint Presentation Notes from 1-31-2017 Presentation

Illustration of the Ueno Park Exhibition Royal Visit, April 1890

The emperor, empress and crown princearrive at the Third National Industrial Exhibition in Ueno Parkwhich opened on April 1 and attracted over 1 million visitors in its threemonth run.  Held against a backdrop ofrecession and an influenza epidemic, it was considered somewhat of a failure,but a big crowd pleaser was the Tokyo Electric Lamp Company’sfirst electricstreetcaras was the presence of 60 domestically brewed beers.


And here we see the royal family,including the young crown prince, arriving at the ThirdNational Industrial Exhibition in Ueno Park,which despite attracting over 1 million visitors was considered somewhat of afailure, held against a backdrop of recession and an influenza epidemic.  



Print Details

 IHL Catalog
 #512
 Title or Description Illustration of Royal Visit to Ueno Park Exhibition
上野公園博覧会行幸之図 Ueno kōen hakurankai gyōkō no zu
 Artist  Kobayashi Ikuhide (active c. 1880-1898)
 Signature
英筆 Ikuhide hitsu

 Seal  not sealed
 Publication Date April 1890 (Meiji 23)
 Publisher Kashiwagi En'ichirō 柏木延一郎 (カシワギエンイチロウ) 
[Marks: pub. ref. 212; seal not shown]
 Impression fair
 Colors excellent
 Condition fair–  full-size sheets; wrinkling and folds throughout; small holes and a repaired 3/4" tear right panel top margin
 Genre kaika-e
 Miscellaneous  
 Format vertical oban triptych
 H x W Paper
 14 1/2 x 9 1/2 in. (36.8 x 24.1 cm)each sheet
 Literature

 Collections This Print
 Waseda University Library Request Number:chi5 4119; Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington FA 85.26 A
latest revision:
8/6/2021