歌川広重　桜に頬赤　浮世絵錦絵　江戸時代　

With the emergence of a new urban culture and identity in the nineteenth century, Japanese printmakers often parodied classical Chinese and Japanese poetry. Famous lines by the legendary Chinese poet Bai Juyi (701–762 C.E.) occupy the upper-left corner of this print: "Under the flowers, forgetting to return because of the beautiful scenery. The spring wind encourages me to get drunk in front of the wine cask." These are part of a longer piece reminiscing about the poet’s youthful days spent with friends. However, Utagawa Hiroshige transforms the poetry into a playful visual pun. In place of the young Bai Juyi, a ho’oaka (bunting) rests beneath the cherry blossom, drinking not wine but nectar; ho’oaka literally means "red cheeks," suggesting one who has had too much to drink.