Evening Snow at Asuka Hill, from the series Eight Views of the Environs of Edo

Discussion

FROM THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART’S CATALOG

This print series was first privately produced for the Taihaidō poetry club led by a “wild” or comic verse (kyōka) poet with the humorous pen name Taihaidō Donshō (or Nomimasu), which translates to “Hall of the Large Cup, Swallow a Liter (or Drink).” The initial print had three poems by members of the club at the top. This print, released as part of a public set of the series later on, has but a single poem, not featured in the original, which reads: The snow falling heavily in the dusk not only covers up signs that warn against breaking branches of the cherry trees on Asuka Hill, but breaks down the branches, as well. It is signed Shōyōan Kōjin (or Takahito), which means “Hermitage of Pine and Cherry, High Person.”

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