Page 254 - Edo: Art in Japan, 1615–1868

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floats, each supported as seen here by advanced stage of development in the It is noteworthy that all surviving
two boats tied together. Each of these Nagoya region, hence their appear- Tsushima Festival screens, with the
floats would be festooned with red ance here. A careful viewing reveals exception of one pair of uncertain ori-
candlelit lanterns clustered in a giant that they are in the process of moving gin, are of eight panels instead of the
spherical form suspended from a out of their small dwellings along the far more common six-panel standard.
mast. This screen of the morning fes- horizontal bar that supports them. The larger format was most likely
tival shows slightly smaller floats that The eleven floats of the morning chosen to accommodate the greater
were configured during the night festival were the pride and joy of the number of large floats and the geo-
from the lantern floats of the previous six districts in premodern Tsushima, graphical features that the patrons of
evening. The floats feature life-size these screens must have thought nec-
dolls that represent figures taken as they were symbols of the cama- essary to achieve an accurate picture
raderie and commercial activity of
from no plays. These five floats are each district's group of supporters. of this spectacular festival. RTS
joined by six towering floats, sixty- The passage along the lower edge of
five feet in height, wrapped in bril- the right three panels shows festival-
liant brocades, surmounted by drag- goers sampling the delicacies provided
ons and mechanical dolls. These in well-furnished stalls. So precise is
dolls (karakuri ningyô) reached an
the detail that each of these foods can
be identified, from noodles to sweets.