This uchiwa-e, or rigid fan print, design by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1868) is one of a set of three, the two other designs having been created by Utagawa Kunisada I (1786-1864) and Hiroshige. The 'Sanbaso Dance' of the series title was an Edo period (1615-1868) adaptation of Okina, one of the oldest works in the No theatrical repertory with origins in ritual dances dating back to the 10th century. In both its Bunraku puppet theatre and Kabuki theatre versions it was performed, as in the case of the No theatre, on celebratory occasions and always at the beginning of a cycle of plays. The pine tree backdrop is similar to what would have been used on the stage. The references to Sanbaso, the character alluded to in this design, are the crane motif on the woman's robe, the hat in the lower corner of the cartouche, and the spray of loquats. These resemble the golden bells used in the dance. The way in which she is sticking out her tongue is a reference to a popular 19th-century variant of the dance called 'Shitadashi Sanbaso', literally 'Sanbaso with his tongue sticking out'.