The back of a beautifully dressed woman harkens at the outlines of food warehouses. The long and linear row represented the prosperity of Edo. The curve of her parasol and the cargo boat forms a continuous line. Also on the Nihonbashi River is a man rowing a boat that resembles a Venetian gondolier. Until 1639, when Japan closed all contact from the rest of the world, ferries and smaller boats were used to transfer cargo. Once Japan gained a sense of security, they built bridges, which drastically increased trade.