Auspicious Day for Travel (Tabidachi yoshi) with Sword, Scarf, Hat and Boxes, from the series Ise Calendar for the Asakusa Group (Asakusa-gawa Ise goyomi), with poem by Asakusa-an Buntsu c. 1813 - 1817

Curator: Ah, what a delightfully whimsical collection of travel essentials! Editor: It's Kubo Shunman's "Auspicious Day for Travel," from the series "Ise Calendar," a compact woodblock print at just over 8 by 7 inches. I'm immediately struck by its lightness, almost floating on the paper. Curator: Exactly! It’s as if he's captured the anticipation itself, that feeling of being ready to float away on an adventure. Look at the scarf, so casually draped. Editor: Note how the composition uses carefully placed objects to create depth, yet maintains a flattened perspective characteristic of ukiyo-e. The sword hints at a more serious side to this journey, doesn't it? Curator: Or maybe it's there to protect the sweets packed in that lovely little box. I always travel with snacks; don't you? This piece, with its gentle colors, to me, speaks of journeys inward as much as outward. Editor: An intriguing thought. Considering its function as part of a calendar series, perhaps this image, with its sword and travel gear, was meant to prepare one for the journey of the coming year. Curator: It's a perfect send-off. Now, where did I put my hat? Editor: Indeed, may it inspire our own travels, literal or otherwise.