During the ten years of the Poets project, fully half of the New Year prints were my own 'design' - something I had cobbled together, sometimes from photographs. The other five were reproductions of something classical. As I sit here today (in 2026) writing comments/explanations for these web pages, I no longer remember my thinking at the time, but it is interesting to notice that during the subsequent ten years (and beyond), there would be no more 'originals', all of the New Year prints would be adaptations from something classical.

This one is Hiroshige - taken from his series 'Edo Meisho Harimaze Zue', which is a collection of prints each made up of smaller images. The overall theme is famous places/events in old Edo, and this one represents what we are told is famous old cherry tree in the Koganei area. It apparently had a 'hole' in the trunk, through which you could see Mt. Fuji in the distance.

I can imagine the visitors back in the day, all lining up with their phones to catch the 'perfect shot' through the trunk! :~)