Aug 1, 20222 min read

The Real Dogashima, A collection of photographs taken from Izu peninsula & other ukiyo-e waterfalls.

by Roland O.

The Waterfall at Dogashima, Japan circa 1890-1930. Courtesy of The Library of Congress #2020684818

After doing a little research on the Dogashima waterfall by Hiroshige II, we stumbled upon these old images of the actual Japanese Dogashima waterfall. The black and white photograph was sold and distributed by Griffth & Griffith, perhaps as an early attempt by westerners to promote a tourism in Japan. Griffeth & Griffith (1851–1923) was an American photographer and major stereoscopic photography publisher, one of a handful of company's publishing early photographic images from around the states, exotic locations such as Japan, Palestine, Puerto Rico, and scenes from the Spanish-American War. These photographs were sometimes offered in novelty sets which showcased the relatively new medium for capturing images at the time; photography.

The woodblock print pictured below by Hiroshige I - Dogashima 1852.

Below is another image of Dogashima waterfall circa 1889 from the Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries.

H.C. White another of the original photographers "The pretty little mountain village of Dogashima, Japan"in 1901, below .

Hakone waterfall in the Izu peninsula, below.

These days, The izu peninsula is home to a bustling tourism industry, filled with cave tours, hotsprings, waterfalls, and hiking through the various visually stunning places scattered in and around Dogashima.

Above, Hiroshige II - Shimofuri Waterfall in Nikko from the series: One Hundred Famous Views in the Provinces; Shokoku meisho.

Japan is famous for some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world. These sites were used by the two ukiyo-e masters; Hiroshige and Hokusai. Below are some of the locations used by both artists.

Below, Shimofuri waterfall in Nikko in autumn, present.

Below, Kirifuri Waterfall at Kurokami Mountain in Shimotsuke (Shimotsuke Kurokamiyama Kirifuri no taki), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)ca. 1832

It was from this image below, that I was reminded of the great yellow orb depicted in Amida waterfall by Hokusai, although they are not the same location. Many believe the greener versions of Hokusai's waterfalls to be the earlier edition, however this is not the case. The edition's with the more yellow hue are thought to be the earlier first editions of Hokusai's series. While on the other hand many believe that what some would call the more aesthetically appealing greener version, are in fact the earlier edition. I have noted that in some of the greener impressions, the printing seems to be sharper than the yellower editions, indicating the greener to be the earlier version.

A waterfall in Iza, below.