Returning Sails at Tsukuda, from the series Eight Views of Famous Places in Edo

Tsukuda was a major fishing port in Edo located on a small island in the bay. In fact, at the right you can see three fishermen on a small boat, surrounded by larger ships laden with goods for the Edo markets. At the far left, the fluttering white flags on tall poles mark the location of the Sumiyoshi Shrine, a popular Shinto shrine on the island. The real subject, though, is in the foreground: four young women, their dress identifying them as members of the urban townspeople (chōnin 町人) class of merchants and artisans. The prominence of the Sumiyoshi Shrine behind them suggests that they are returning from a visit there. Two are already on the shore, two more are on a ferry, about to arrive. Mitate is often subtle. Perhaps the “returning sails” theme refers not only to the ships in the background, but to the women themselves?