19th Century Japanese Triptych Print: Training At Narashinohara Before The Emperor

Large view of the Narashinohara training ground, Shimousa province
Meiji 7,1874
Beautiful triptych in very fresh colors, formerly bound and mounted on a tab.
Oban
Nishiki-e

This area, used as grazing land since ancient times, was called "Owatawara" after the Meiji Restoration and became a training ground for the army's royal guards. It was frequently used because it was conveniently located near Tokyo, many of the Imperial Guards who made up the core of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Army would have been trained there. In April 1873 Emperor Meiji, who visited the area to observe the grand exercises of the royal guard led by Takamori Saigo, named this area "Narashinohara". The same year, the Daijokan officially named it "Narashinohara".