Comment - At the corner where Honmachi-dori (本町通) and Ningyocho-dori (人形町通) intersect, was the large and famous kimono store (gofukuten, 呉服店) of Daimaru (大丸).The main entrance to the store is flanked with two kadomatsu trees, hinting at a time around New Year. Two Japanese flags adorn the entrance. Through the windows you may have a glimpse on the customers and salespersons. A busy street scene with several pedestrians is to be seen in front of the building. The right side is framed by a gas lantern, a technical novelty at those times. A carrier is dragging a two wheeled cart with a passenger couple, covered in a red plaid. On the right to them a worker is carrying two large buckets on a shoulder pole. A man with a green carrying bag on hs back, holds a pair of getas, bundled in his left hand, turns his head and is watching the scene. In the center of the street, is a pedlar with a multibranched twig with a multitude of toys (Okame, couloured balls, a turnip...) tied to it. The pedlar is talking to a customer. In front of the left window of Daimaru store, two girls a playing hanetsuki, a typical pasttime during the New Year season.A grown up and two boys are standing near to them. One of the boys is holding a small edo kaku kite (江戸角) with a variation of the Japanese flag.

The scene may depict an evening scene, with a deep blue bokashi sky. Upper right, a Daruma kite is glimpsing throug the left rim of the panel and the large red cassette, containing the series title of this woodblock print. The adjoining pink cassette contains the title of the print.  A big Edo kite ("edo tako", "江戸凧") with a Japanese flag design and overwritten kanji is domineering the flight scene. Three Yakko kites ("yakko dako", "奴凧") are swaying in the dimming sundown, one of them with an unusual "brick wall" design.

Series -  "Illustrations of Famous Places in Modern Tokyo" (Tōkyō Hiraki hana meisho zue no uchi, 東京開華名所図絵之内), print no. 15 (jūgo, 十五 )


Artist - see Biography


Signature -  "Hiroshige hitsu" ("広重筆") in red cassette at center left;  yellowish carvers seal lower left (Hori-e Hidekatsu, 彫エ秀勝)


Publisher - KUMAGAI Shōshichi (熊谷庄七) left margin, including date and address lower right (slightly cut off)


Image Size -   23.0 x 34.5 cm (9 1/16" x 14")


Condition - Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper, single sheet, Vertical ôban; Tate-e (portrait);