Poet Overlooking Waka Bay (Poetry Bay), Totoya Hokkei, c. 1829
color woodcut, h 213mm × w 188mm More details
Waka Bay figures frequently in poems. Waka is not only the name of a place, but also means ‘poetry’ in Japanese. This double meaning allows for a play on words. The fact that a poet is looking out over a bay above which cranes are flying means that this is indeed Waka Bay, as it was known for its cranes.
