Utagawa Kunisada II

Here courtesans decked out in their finery parade in decorated boats on the Sumida River in Edo (present-day Tokyo). They are embarking on a cherry-blossom-viewing party, accompanied by their young attendants, also dressed in elaborate gowns. A spectacle equal to the blossoming flowers, the women are the center of attention of boatloads of patrons, many of whom include samurai who wave and call out to them. Taking advantage of the expansiveness of the pentaptych (five-part) format, Kunisada creates a panoramic view of the festivities.