Artist: Unknown signature
Publisher: Izumya (c. 1845-70), seal 申 under roof, unknown, Marks U101 | 02-053
Media: Preparatory drawing (shita-e) for a fan print (uchiwa-e), brush and ink on ‘India’ paper, laid down, 242 x 254 mm
Date: Meiji era, after 1889
Inscriptions:
Top left: ギヤマンすだれ (giyaman sudare, “glass screen”)
Top right: 上開ちんし景 (Ue hiraki chinshi kei, “Contemplation view from the top”)
Three female figures—two courtesans accompanied by a young kamuro—stand on a balustraded rooftop terrace of a tall Western-style building. The setting features hanging lanterns, large windows, and interior decor evoking modern Meiji taste. Visible through the windows is the domed structure of the Yokohama Shiyakusho (横浜市役所), the Yokohama Municipal Office (built in 1889) and topped with a distinctive wind vane. The inscriptions identify architectural features and settings, situating the scene within a high vantage point overlooking the modernized cityscape of Meiji-era Yokohama.
