Comment - The above woodblock shows a procession of two groups of actor troupes walking to the Edo theater. They are watched by spectators on the right side, backed by traditional New Year decoration of pine and bamboo, hinting to the New Year season (kadomatsu). A big scroll describes the scene. The black crest gives the title of the series. An Edo kite ("Edo tako", "江戸 凧") with a variation of the Japanese sun symbol and blueish background flutters above the heads of the actors, its long tail ropes nearly touching them. A smaller Edo (Edo Kaku Kite) is mostly covered by the big scroll on top. A kite with five angles or Coat-of-arms outline kite (Monshō-tako, 紋章凧), or may be a "Fukushima dako", a "Sumiyoshi dako" or "Sagara dako" ("Sagara" "kite") with the Japanese "Rising Sun Flag" is also to be seen under the black crest.


Series -  "Ô-Edo shibai nenjû gyôji" drawn by Adachi Ginko, with only two prints contributed by Torii KIYOSADA (1844-1901). The series is a set of 26 pictures (including an index page), that depicts the manners and customs relating to plays/theaters in Saruwaka-chō (near Asakusa 6-chōme in Taitō ward), which used to be a theater district of Tokiyo.

At least two editions of this series were released. One edition contains the publisher's name, Hasegawa  Sumi, and associated information along the left column.  The edition, with the publishing information, is often found bound into volumes, with the margins of the prints trimmed back. These bound volumes were created by the publisher. The other edition does not show any information related to the publishing and the margins of the prints are considerably larger and embossed and have no signature, as in this collection's print.


Artist - see Biography


Signature - none; because of the missing signature, this edition's print ist often falsely attributed to KIYOSADA (see above)


Publisher - Hasegawa Sumi (長谷川壽美)


Image Size - 36.5 x 24.2 cm (14 3/8" x 9 1/2")


Condition - single sheet; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical ôban; embossed selvage