Kasumigaseki, No. 2 in One Hundred Famous Views of Edo

Hiroshige here depicts traditional symbols and activities of the New Year, one of Japan's most important annual festivals. To the right appears the vertical slice of a gate pine (kadomatsu), a traditional New Year's decoration, which also organizes the scene to suggest a Noh drama stage set. At the center is a somber procession of street theater performers climbing the slope known as Kasumigaseki. Two manzai artists, who perform celebratory chants and dances for samurai families, observe them. Kites fly above; one is inscribed with the name of the publisher of the series, which translates as "fishmonger."