Artist: Veronica Miller attributes the drawing to Utagawa Sadahide [歌川 貞秀] (Japanese, 1807 – 1879), also known as Gountei Sadahide [五雲亭 貞秀].

A preparatory drawing for a fan print depicts two women raking pine needles along the scenic beach at Harima. Inscription at top right “Maiko Beach in Harima” (Harima Maiko no Hama) [播磨 舞子濱], which is now located in Hyōgo Prefecture. The view must be of the Akashi Strait, looking towards Awaji Island. Drawn on thin hanshita paper, mounted lightly at the top to a backing paper, but unbacked. Size: 240 x 319 mm.

Attribution to Sadahide based on his design titled “Suma Bay: Matsukaze and Murasame” (see below):

See also Maiko Beach, Harima Province, from the series Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces, c. 1853 (MET Museum):

http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/53780