Wating for the Master

In this print, a young woman looks with anticipation through an opening in a curtain. The first line of the first poem, “Waiting for the master . . .” (Nushi o matsu), suggests that she is a student or apprentice waiting for her master to arrive. The names of the poets included in this surimono also emphasize the student-master relationships within this poetry group. Most of the poets have taken on the same first character of the host Rochiku’s name: Rokei, Roteki, Rosui, Romei, and so forth. This accords with a tradition (that still exists today) in which masters give a part of their name to advanced students.