This 'uchiwa-e' (rigid fan print) is one of a complete set of six owned by the V&A. The design by Hiroshige shows the seven hot springs of Hakone. It is situated in the south-western corner of Kanagawa Prefecture about 40 kilometres from Mount Fuji. City dwellers wanting to escape the noise and bustle of Edo (modern Tokyo) could reach it fairly easily. Hakone is still one of the most frequently visited resorts in Japan.

Many of its inns were built around the hot springs. These were a popular subject for 'ukiyo-e' ('pictures of the floating world') artists. They produced paintings and woodblock prints aimed at the popular urban market. This particular print shows female guests relaxing at an inn on the banks of the Haya River at Tonosawa. The woman standing on the bridge has just taken a bath and is partly undressed. The woman behind her is dressed more formally. The girl on the left is a servant. She is carrying a tray laden with porcelain bowls full of food, a stack of red lacquer dishes and a container filled with chopsticks.