Comment - Lively New Year's scene on the banks of the Sumida River. A small reddish bird-of-prey kite ("tonbi dako", "鳶凧") is swaying above the river. A large barge is setting off to cross the Sumida river. Two helmsmen pushing the barge with a pole, carrying eight passengers above the gently undulating surface. Several rowboats and sailboats shipping the river. The kanji character "恵" on the back of one of the ferry boats passengers  reads "megumi", referring to "enlightment". He maybe a monk or a visitor, crossing over to Sumiyoshi shrine.

The text on the woodblock means: "Spring dawn in the provinces of Awa, Shimōsa, and Kazusa", and "Sunrise - The first going out of fishing boats in the new year". The original woodblock is from the e-hon "Picture Book of Both Banks of the Sumida River at a Glance" ("隅田川 両岸一覧", "Ehon Sumidagawa ryogan ichiran sumizuri")


Series - "Views of Both Banks of the Sumida River" (Sumidagawa ryogan ichiran, 隅田川 両岸一覧) (series title of the Manga book volumes)


Artist - see Biography


Signature - none (book); see title of volume 1 ("上")


Publisher - Takamizawa Mokuhansha (高見沢木版社);  1950 reprint


Image Size  -  19.0 x  27.0 cm   (7 1/2" x 10 5/8") plus margins


Condition - Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper, single sheet, horizontal ôban; Yoko-e ('landscape')