Japanese Kerria (Yamabuki) and Frogs

Hokusai was renowned for his innovative compositions, yet Hiroshige was equally masterful, particularly in his use of the vertical tanzaku format. In this design of kerria and frogs, the kerria branch and the stream, the latter rendered in ai bokashi, divide the composition into two and lead the viewer’s eye diagonally from the upper left to the lower right. One of the frogs swimming in the opposite direction provides a striking counterpoint, creating a dynamic tension within the composition.
The poem by Chotei has been read and translated by John T. Carpenter as:
Harusame no
Furu ku nagara mo
Yamabuki no
Mi no hitotsu dani
Naku kawazu kana
As spring showers pour down
we are reminded of the age-old verse
about yellow roses bearing no fruit
nor offering a cloak in the rain –
and hear the sound of croaking frogs.