This is a scene in December when people are busy with preparations for the coming New Year.

A young boy holding toy bows in his hand, and is apparently trying to sell them to the person on the right. He also carries other items relevant to the New Year such as pine branches and hagoita (battledore) in his basket.

The background is obviously a stone wall but we are not sure if the small white dots shown on the wall are falling snow or irregular pattern seen on the surface of the stones.

The colors and patterns of the kimono worn by the person on the right represent ‘iki’ - a Japanese aesthetical ideal of subdued displays of taste.

What caught our eyes is the bamboo-basket on the boy’s back. The pattern of the weaving is well described by using delicate carving and bokashi technique.