After a fire in 1841, the government attempted to limit the influence of Edo's kabuki theaters by relocating them to Saruwaka Street and restricting access to one gate, just visible at the end of the street. In this print, Hiroshige's use of strong diagonals that lead the eye back to a vanishing point and his inclusion of a shadow for every figure show that Western influence was a factor in the art of Japan by the late 1850s. Kabuki theaters ,recognizable by the boxlike turrets (yaruga) above the doors, indicating government approval, line the right (west) side of the street; on the left are the ubiquitous ukiyo-e teahouses. This is not traditional theater season. If there were performances, the buildings would be covered with signs and banners, the street packed with people.