Shrine Maidens Onami and Ohatsu Dancing at Yushima Tenjin Shrine c. 1769

Suzuki Harunobu created this woodblock print depicting Shrine Maidens Onami and Ohatsu Dancing at Yushima Tenjin Shrine in Japan, sometime before his death in 1770. Harunobu was an innovative artist in Edo-period Japan who played a key role in the development of full-color woodblock printing, known as *nishiki-e*. The print reflects the vibrant urban culture and the popularity of *ukiyo-e*, or "pictures of the floating world," which often depicted beautiful women, actors, and scenes from daily life. The Yushima Tenjin Shrine was a popular destination, known for its plum blossoms and festivals. Depicting shrine maidens elevated this popular entertainment to high art. To fully appreciate this work, one might research the social roles of women, the patronage systems of the art world, and the cultural significance of Shinto shrines in 18th-century Japan. Only then can we consider its status as a cultural artifact.