Novembre 1909
1909
Before he became famous for his exquisite woodblock prints of beautiful women, Hashiguchi Goyō designed this striking cover for the literary magazine *Hototogisu* (The Cuckoo). The scene depicts two figures in traditional white robes and black hats huddled together; one blows a long, stylized stream of air to stoke a small fire, illustrating the winter activity of *fukisumashi* (reviving the embers). The bold, graphic composition—with its flat yellow background and heavy black outlines—shows a fascinating blend of traditional Japanese aesthetics and early modernist design. The large text at the top spells out the magazine's name in a playful, right-to-left script, marking this as the November 1909 issue of a publication central to Japan's haiku boom.