Three Tabletop Games

People are enjoying three different Japanese games, from right to left, called "sugoroku", "igo", and "shogi". Sugoroku, depicted on the right, was a game like old backgammon, but it went out in the latter half of 19th century. Igo (on the middle) and shogi (on the left) are still enjoyed by Japanese. Originally, this ukiyo-e was to be divided into three parts. Hence three seasons are depicted in this print. Spring is expressed by the blooming plum tree on the right. The iris blossoms in the upper middle represent summer. Winter can be found in a picture drawn in a simple panel screen on the left.