YASHIMA GAKUTEI (1786?-1868)

In this print, from a set of five, two geisha are depicted dancing on a stage at Gissharo, a large establishment in the town of Furuichi located between the shrines of Yamada and Uji. Pilgrimages to the Great Shrines at Ise became extremely popular during the 1820s, with travellers often staying overnight at the inns and brothels in the area. The carriage wheels decorating the lanterns and the side of the stage are the emblem of the house, whose name Gissharo means 'Ox-drawn Carriage'.

For the same print in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum, accession number JP1964, go to: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/60025688