Oiran Dochu — 花魁道中

The oiran dōchū was the formal procession of a high-ranking courtesan through the streets of the Yoshiwara pleasure district, one of the most visually elaborate rituals of Edo-period urban culture. Characterized by towering lacquered geta, layered silk robes, and elaborate kanzashi hairpins, the procession was a significant subject in ukiyo-e, appearing in the work of Utamaro, Kunisada, and many others. Sekino's treatment, filtered through the sosaku-hanga sensibility, would have approached the subject as formal spectacle — the verticals of the courtesan's figure and platform sandals organized against a street or crowd setting, with the layered textile patterns offering rich material for color woodblock technique. The kanji subtitle 花魁道中 confirms this as a direct engagement with the classical theme rather than an incidental figure study.