Edo Surugacho Mitsui mise ryakuzu (A sketch of the Mitsui shop in Surugacho, Edo)

Surugacho, situated in present-day Nihonbashi Muromachi (日本橋室町), was renowned for its breathtaking view of Mount Fuji. The main street is flanked on both sides by the grand kimono shops of Mitsui Echigoya (三井越後屋), the predecessor of Mitsui Department Store, still at the same location. The triangular roofs of the shops echo the shape of Mount Fuji.
A kite soars high in the sky, and we see a few rooftop workers. Hokusai captures the bustling New Year’s atmosphere at Surugacho without explicitly depicting activities on the main street.