In this print, Kabuki actor Yaozō as Matsuō (or "Matsuōmaru") is depicted in the Terakoya ("village school") scene of Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami ("Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy"). The popular Terakoya scene, in which Matsuō sacrifices his son's life to save that of Kan Shūsai and redeem himself for past sins, is the third scene of Act IV. Matsuō is depicted here in the snow-and-pine motif costume traditionally worn in the scene. In the lower panel a tanzaku poem slip is attached to a cutting of a matsu (pine) tree (this is probably an allusion to Matsuō's name and possibly to the tanzaku poem the character read out in one of the scenes). The texture of Matsuō's wild hair and the pattern of the costume are particularly eye-catching features.