Takata Riding Grounds, No. 115 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo

This scene portrays samurai retainers practicing military skills at the Takata Riding Grounds in the hilly northwestern suburbs of Edo. It is a reminder that half of Edo's population consisted of a hereditary warrior class that, even after more than two centuries of peace, was still expected to maintain its military skills. The practice of the martial arts was on the rise at the time this print appeared, reflecting a mounting foreign crisis and a heightened governmental emphasis on education and training.