Bowl of New Year Food 1808

Teisai Hokuba’s *Bowl of New Year Food* (1808) is a ukiyo-e woodblock print depicting a traditional New Year’s meal in Japan. The print shows two bowls, one containing rice cakes, an egg and the other with a dish of seaweed and fish. The bowls are decorated with a crane design, a symbol of longevity. The print’s simple composition and delicate details highlight the artist’s mastery of the ukiyo-e style, a genre of Japanese art that flourished in the Edo period. This small-scale work captures the everyday life of the time and offers a glimpse into the Japanese cultural tradition of celebrating the new year with special foods.