Otsu was the largest town on the Tokaido, as goods from the Sea of Japan side were transported by boat across Lake Biwa, landing here before being transferred to Kyoto, their final destination. Being a village situated between Kyoto and Otsu, many travelers and goods passed through, making it a popular resting spot.

In the lower-left corner, you can see a famous well called Hashiri-i, meaning water running well. The abundant and high-quality water from this well was highly valued, and the rice cakes made using this water became known as Hashirii-mochi.

Behind the well is a teahouse named Hashirii-jyaya; some people are seen relaxing, presumably enjoying the specialties displayed there.

Hiroshige depicted three carts, each pulled by oxen carrying heavy loads - which would appear to be rice and firewood. Because these animals are sensitive to heat, they have been provided with sun shades.

The wheels of these heavily loaded carts tended to damage the roads, creating deep ruts that became especially muddy after rain. The resulting difficulty in cart movement annoyed people very much. In the late Tokugawa era, two parallel stone ruts were constructed between Otsu and Kyoto, exactly the width of the cart wheels. These ruts, known as kuruma-ishi (wheel stones), improved traffic flow, and some of these stones are still visible today.