Ono no Komachi Viewing a Cherry Tree (Komachi zakura), from the series Cherry Blossoms of Katsushika (Katsushika sakura zukushi)

This print is a surimono, a privately published image commissioned by the members of a poetry circle, in this case the Katsushika group. Here famous ninth-century poet Ono no Komachi views cherry blossoms at Kiyomizu Temple, a Buddhist temple in Kyoto. The flowers also appear on her robe and in the image’s background pattern. The two poems on the left read: Even eyes not accentedBy “Komachi red” make-upAre coloredCherry-pinkTipsy from New Year’sDrink. The tails of green willowPraise the form of Komachi’s poemsThat gave fame toCherry blossoms. (Translation taken from Surimono: Poetry and Image in Japanese Prints [Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, 2000])