Girl and a Hagoita (Japanese Battledore and Shuttlecock) 1815

Kubo Shunman made this woodblock print, "Girl and a Hagoita (Japanese Battledore and Shuttlecock)," sometime around the late 18th or early 19th century, during the Edo period in Japan. At this time, Japan was undergoing significant social and economic changes. The merchant class was rising in influence, and with it came new forms of art and entertainment that celebrated urban life and its pleasures. Here, a courtesan is depicted with a hagoita, a traditional wooden paddle used in a new year's game similar to badminton. The game, played mostly by young girls, was associated with wishes for good health. However, in Shunman’s print, we see it lying discarded on the floor. It’s a poignant symbol of lost innocence and fleeting beauty. Her elaborate kimono and hairstyle, combined with the calligraphy, situate her within a complex interplay of social expectations and personal experiences. Shunman invites us to reflect on the lives of women in Edo society, and consider the complex narratives that challenge traditional representations.