Yoshiwara

The priest Saigyo_ (1118-1190) was a descendant of the aristocratic Fujiwara family but withdrew from courtly circles to lead a religious life. He remained friends with noble poets, however, and was admired for his own verse. Shortly after his death, an imperial poetry anthology known as the Shinkokinshu_ included over ninety of his poems. Here, Kunisada depicts Saigyo_ in a moment of poetic reverie as he views Mount Fuji, illustrated above by Hiroshige as seen through the pine trees as Yoshiwara.