Boys on Steps of the Inari Shrine at Ōji, from Second Month from Gidō jyūnigatsu: The 12 Months with Children’s Amusements

This print conveys a delightful moment, as a young man tasked with watching over three boys leads them up the steps at the Ōji Inari shrine in Edo. Two of the boys are captivated by the dragon-headed water spout at the left. This print was part of a series titled The Twelve Months of Children’s Amusements. In the second month, on Hatsu Uma day in Edo, children visited Shintō shrines carrying drums and banners with the name of the deity Shō Ichii Inari Daimyōjin printed on them, as seen here on the shoulder of the boy at the left. Similar banners appear at the top of the composition. Only seven prints from the series are known.