[Translation from Japanese to English ] This folding art book is created based on the famous “Fifty-three Stages of t...

Original Text / Japanese

歌川広重（安藤広重）の名画「東海道五十三次」をモチーフにして、五十三次を全て（始点、終点合わせて五十五枚）型紙に手彫りで彫り上げ、一枚ずつ奉書紙に貼り、折本（おりほん）仕立てで一冊にまとめた作品です。多色版画をもとにしながら、一色だけの型紙で情景を伝えるデザイン・アレンジの冴えと柄と柄を繋いでいく独特の意匠、鋭い小刀で直線を生み出す引彫り、小さな丸い穴で色とボカシを表現する錐彫り、これらの伝統の技法を駆使して月日をかけて起こした伊勢型紙の素晴らしい手彫りの味わいを御堪能下さい

Translation / English

This folding art book is created based on the famous “Fifty-three Stages of the Tokaido” by Utagawa Hiroshige, or Ando Hiroshige, illustrating all the 53 relay stations and 2 stages of its starting and ending points on Tokaido (55 stages in total). All the stages are carved on paper patterns by hand and lined onto fine-quality white Japanese papers. You will see the high skills in design arrangement altering Utagawa’s polychromous works to single-color paper works and the unique design to connect patterns. You will also find meticulous carving skills such as straight lines carved by sharp chisels (line carvings), and design patterns made with small holes to express colors and vignettes (round carving). This art book surely shows you the gorgeous works of handmade Ise paper pattern which takes enormous time to prepare and is only realized by harnessing all the traditional skills of the art.

Original Text / Japanese

伊勢型紙で再現。鈴鹿の専門店が3年がかり彫り上げ。浮世絵で描かれた旧東海道五十三次の宿場町すべてが、鈴鹿市の伝統産業「伊勢型紙」で再現された。つないだ長さ約18メートル、厚さ10センチに及ぶ「五十三次全作品集」となった。作ったのは同市白子、伊勢型紙専門店「おおすぎ」(大杉修敏)。今年は東海道の宿駅制度が始まって400年にあたるが、同店では、このうちの一冊を鈴鹿商工会議所に寄贈することにしている。

Translation / English

This is a recreation of the Fifty-three Stages of the Tokaido with Ise paper pattern. A specialist store in Suzuka, Mie prefecture of Japan spent 3 years to complete this art book. All the 53 post towns of old Tokaido illustrated in Ukiyoe are now recreated with Ise paper pattern, one of the traditional industries in Suzuka. The Art Collection Book of Fifty-three Stages of the Tokaido has a combined length of about 18 meters and a thickness of good 10 cm. The artist who completed this book is Mr. Nobutoshi Osugi of the specialist store for Ise paper pattern called “Osugi” in Shiroko in the city. This year marks the 400th anniversary of opening those stations on Tokaido, and the store plans to contribute one of this art books to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Suzuka city.

*最後の「今年は〜」という文ですが、次の翻訳依頼を見てみると、2001年が400年目にあたるようですが、もしそうであれば、次のように翻訳する事もできます。
The year 2001 marked the 400th anniversary of opening those stations on Tokaido, and the store contributed one of this art book to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Suzuka city.

*また、大杉様の下の名前は”のぶとし”でよかったでしょうか？

Original Text / Japanese

江戸時代の浮世絵師・安藤広重が描いた浮世絵「東海道五十三次」(保永堂版)をモデルに、5年前から同店従業員の佐野博美さん(51)がデザインし、伊勢型紙技術保存会研修者の生田嘉範さん(53)が三年かけて彫り上げた。出発点の日本橋から、県内は桑名、四日市、鈴鹿、亀山などの作品がある。伊勢型紙特有のきめ細かい技法で、それぞれを原寸の長方形から正方形に近い色紙大に仕上げている。百冊を限定発売する。※2001年は、東海道に宿駅が制定されてから400周年となる年で、様々な行事が催されました

Translation / English

Ms. Sano, Harmi (51), an employee of the shop, started designing this art works 5 year before its completion, based on one of the famous Edo-period Ukiyoe artists, Ando Hiroshige’s “the Fifty-three Stages of the Tokaido,” published by Houeido. And Mr. Ikuta, Yoshinori (53), a trainee of the assembly of preserving techniques for Ise paper pattern, spent 3 years to complete carving. The art works start from the town of Nihonbashi, the starting point of the Dokaido, and include towns of Kuwana, Yokkaichi, Suzuka and Kameyama of Mie prefecture. The orignal rectangular shape of each art work is altered to almost square shape and to the size of color paper with unique meticulous skills of Ise paper pattern. * The year 2001 marked the 400th anniversary of opening those stations on Tokaido, and various kinds of events were held to celebrate the anniversary.