Hokusai Sparrow Dance 360 Book

‘Sparrow Dance’ is one of traditional footman dances performed by dancers literally imitating sparrows’ movements. It is considered to have originated from an improvised dance performed by stonemasons from Sakai in the Senshu region at a banquet celebrating the relocation of Sendai Castle. Hokusai Katsushika featured this ‘Sparrow Dance’ in the third volume of ‘Hokusai Manga’, one of his etehon (art manual) series. Hokusai’s lively brush strokes vividly capture dance movements of people wearing footman’s kimonos and hats, looking as if they are going to start moving at any moment.