View of the Nakanochō Niwaka Festival from the corner of Inamoto-rō in the New Yoshiwara (Shinyoshiwara kakugai Inamoto-rō yori Nakanochō Niwaka ichiran no zu) Possibly 1869

Editor: This colorful triptych by Utagawa Yoshiiku, "View of the Nakanochō Niwaka Festival," really captures a sense of bustling energy. What strikes you about the social context of such a lively scene? Curator: It's fascinating how Yoshiiku depicts this festival within the Yoshiwara, a licensed pleasure district. Consider the gaze: who is looking at whom? The women are on display, but they are also watching a performance. Editor: So, it's a layered performance, both for the immediate festival crowd and for the presumed viewer of this print? Curator: Exactly. The print itself becomes a commodity, circulating images and ideas about class, leisure, and the role of women in Edo society. What did you learn? Editor: I’m beginning to see the print as a commentary on social dynamics of the time, and to examine what it meant to observe or participate in this festival.