Lovers sharing an umbrella, with poem by Basho

Koryūsai included three poems by Bashō in his untitled haiku series of 1770–1772. The verse written here comes from the poetry anthology Hakusenshū:
Iza saraba
yukimi ni korobu
tokoro made

Well then,
let’s go snow-viewing
until we tumble over

Koryūsai’s rendition shows young lovers out on a wintry day. Though in no apparent danger of “tumbling,” the girl tightens the sash on her layered robes to prevent them from trailing in the snow. Her companion, bundled in a hood and full-length coat, shelters her with a large umbrella. The pressure of the baren (a printing tool applied to the back of the paper) has left circular striations in the pale gray sky, suggesting swirling snow. Overall, the design is strongly reminiscent of Harunobu, calling to mind in particular one of his most famous prints, a design of lovers posed beneath a snow-covered willow. A similar figure in hood and long coat appears in “Ki Tomonori,” from Harunobu’s untitled series of Thirty-six Poetic Immortals (Sanjūrokkasen).