Relaxing on the banks of the Sumidagawa

Figures relax along the banks of the Sumidagawa — the great river that defined the eastern edge of old Edo — in a scene that evokes the leisurely riparian culture of the shitamachi neighborhoods. The Sumida had been a place of recreation for Tokyoites since the Edo period: summer fireworks, cherry blossom viewing, boat excursions, and fishing all took place along its banks. Kasamatsu depicts this social landscape with the specificity of a native Asakusa resident who knew the riverbanks across seasons and times of day.