The series Fifty-three Pairings for the Tokaido Road is a collection of 55 prints illustrating the 53 stations along the Tokaido, the road that connected the shogunate capital of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) with the imperial capital of Kyoto. The Tokaido was a vibrant thoroughfare frequented by people from all walks of life, making it an attractive subject for ukiyo-e artists. This series incorporates depictions of each station, along with explanations of local legends, historical events, and notable features specific to each area. While Utagawa Hiroshige’s series Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido focuses on landscape views of the post stations, Fifty-three Pairings for the Tokaido Road highlights figures and historical anecdotes, offering a more narrative-driven approach. This collaboration was undertaken by three leading ukiyo-e masters of the 19th century: Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1865), Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), and Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798–1861), all prominent artists from the Utagawa school.

Fukuroi, the 27th station on the Tokaido, is located in modern-day Shizuoka Prefecture. This scene illustrates a Buddhist legend associated with Sakura-ga-ike, a pond in the Fukuroi area. According to the story, Honen (1133–1212), the founder of the Jodo sect of Buddhism, dreamt of a dragon maiden who resided in the pond. She tearfully appeared to him, lamenting that her body was infested with countless insects, causing her great suffering. Honen traveled to the pond, and when the dragon maiden emerged from the water, he chanted prayers, curing her of her affliction. In gratitude, she expressed her intent to await the arrival of Maitreya, the future Buddha, before disappearing into the waters of the pond. In this artwork, the dragon maiden is depicted as a woman with long hair, her identity hinted at by the scale-like patterns on her robes, symbolizing her true form as a dragon.