Courtesan Procession

This print depicts the oiran dochu, the formal procession of a high-ranking courtesan through the streets of the pleasure quarter, a subject with deep roots in Edo-period [ukiyo-e](/glossary/ukiyo-e) [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga) and prints of customs (fuzoku-ga). The courtesan procession was a theatrical public spectacle: the oiran walked in distinctive high geta sandals with an entourage of kamuro attendants and yakko servants in elaborate formation. Sekino's treatment draws on this iconographic tradition while applying his modern graphic sensibility — bold contour lines, flattened pattern in textile design, and selective color emphasis. The subject allowed him to engage with the visual culture of the Edo pleasure quarters from the perspective of a twentieth-century printmaker with [sosaku-hanga](/glossary/sosaku-hanga) values.