Two Women Making Rice Candy at New Years/The Board Roof Shell (Itayagai), from the series Shell-Matching Game with Genroku Poets (Genroku kasen kai-awase) Possibly 1821

Editor: This print, by Hokusai, shows two women making rice candy and is part of a series called "Shell-Matching Game with Genroku Poets." It feels incredibly intimate, like a stolen moment. What do you see in it? Curator: I see a quiet, domestic scene infused with subtle symbolism. The women's activity, preparing sweets, speaks to tradition and connection, while the objects around them hint at cultural rituals and seasonal celebrations. It’s as if Hokusai is inviting us into their world, doesn’t it? Editor: It does. It's like glimpsing a secret. I'm struck by how much detail he includes. Curator: Absolutely! He captures not just the scene, but a feeling, a sense of time. A moment of shared activity that feels so human.