Katsushika Hokusai, 1760-1849

The Poetry-Shell Matching Game of the Genroku Era: The Fulling Block Shell
(Genroku kasen kai-awase: Kinutagai)

with women pounding seaweed on a fulling block (kinuta); signed Getchi rojin Iitsu hitsu (Moonstruck Old Man Iitsu), commissioned by the Yomogawa (Four Directions Group) for New Year 1821, Year of the Snake

shikishiban 7 3/4 by 6 7/8 in., 19.6 by 17.4 cm

The first poem by Kogetsutei Yoshimura references the 'ki' (come) and 'kinuta' (pounding block).

Uraraka ni
kesa shimo haru no
kinutagai
uchigasumu sode ni
niou umegaka

On this glorious morning
early spring has come
with pounding sounds of kinuta
veiled in mist
by the fragrance of plum blossoms

The second poem by Chikujuan Haruyoshi (Jiro) references dark seaweed sheets (nori) that resembles recycled paper.

Shizu ga suku
Shinagawa-nori ya
Asakusa de
Shinashi mo nitaru
Kami Kinutagai

Sounding like the beaters of seaweed
at Shinagawa
the humble kinuta beaters
at Asakusa
are making recycled paper

References:
Theodore Bowie, Art of the Surimono, 1979, pp. 176-177, no. 109
Roger Keyes, Surimono: Privately Published Japanese Prints in the Spencer Museum of Art, 1984, pp. 78-79, no. 28
Matthi Forrer with texts by Edmond de Goncourt, Hokusai, 1988, p. 235, no. 263
Gian Carolo Calza, Hokusai: Il vecchio pazzo per la pittura, 1999, p. 253, no. V.7.6
Gian Carlo Calza, Hokusai, 2003, p. 239, no. v.7.6

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