Cormorant fishing is a traditional fishing method to catch sweetfish using domesticated cormorants. In Japan, from the Heian period, aristocrats and samurai had visited cormorant fishing as sightseeing. Even today, cormorant fishing is practiced for sightseeing in various places. Even today, cormorant fishing is practiced for sightseeing in various places. In particular, the cormorant fishing in the Nagara River in Gifu Prefecture is famous and has become the subject of various artworks.

In this work, Ibaraki Shunzan lightly portrayed the cheerful cormorant fishing. The smoke of the bonfire is painted diagonally and lively with thin sumi ink, which is interesting. The cormorant holding the sweetfish also looks fun. The calligraphy handwritten by Ibaraki next to the picture of cormorant fishing is a haiku (Japanese style poetry) by Matsuo Bashō, who was a haiku master in the Edo period. The content of the haiku is as follows.

“The lively cormorant fishing with a burning bonfire is really tasteful. However, when the bonfire goes out, the cormorant boats leave, and the cormorant fishing is over, I feel irresistibly sad.”

It is a haiku that expresses that indescribable loneliness after the lively atmosphere disappears, which can be held by anyone. By adding this haiku, Ibaraki conveyed such feelings after cormorant fishing at the same time as the fun atmosphere during the event, making this artwork even more impressive.