Comment - Single sheet showing two boys and a girl, playing on New Year's Day in a rural yard. The boy in the background flies a kite with five angles (coat-of-arms outline) , that may be a "Fukushima dako", a "Sumiyoshi dako" or "Sagara dako" ("Sagara" "kite") with the Japanese "Rising Sun Flag". The "Rising Sun Flag" (centered sun disc with 16 rays on a white field) was adopted in 1889 as a naval ensign and flag-of-war of the Imperial military forces. The boy stands behind the opened yard door. The little boy seems to speak to a traditionally dressed girl. She is seeming to offer a red ball with her hand. The little boy holds a kite line of a Bird-of prey kite ("tonbi dako", "鳶凧"), laying just behind him on the ground.

The woodblock contains an English language Calendar for January, and the caption "New Year's Holidays". From the January calendar on the woodblock with the 1st of January being a Monday, the calendar sheet represents January 1894, 1900, or 1906. The Crepe print (Chirimenshi-e, 縮緬紙絵) is a mechanically wrinkled print, sold as a "curiosity" item. It was often used for children's books because it was more resistant to tears and soils.


Series - unknown series


Artist - unknown


Signature - none


Publisher - unknown


Image Size - 13.5 x 13.5 cm   ( 5 5/16"   x 5 5/16") 


Condition - single sheet, crepe print, trimmed