A surimono (privately commissioned woodblock print) designed by Kubo Shunman and commissioned by the Asakusagawa poetry group. The print may commemorate the one-hundredth memorial anniversary of Kūkai (774–835), also known posthumously as Kōbō Daishi, a monk, calligrapher, and poet associated with the introduction of esoteric Buddhism to Japan.

The Asakusagawa group was based in the Asakusa district of Edo (modern Tokyo) and commissioned a number of surimono designs from Shunman, including series such as Essays in Idleness (Asakusagawa Tsurezuregusa) and Tales of Ise (Asakusagawa Ise monogatari). These works often share identifying features, including circular seals, as seen here.

Surimono were produced in limited numbers for private distribution, typically in editions of around 50 to 200 impressions. They frequently incorporate specialised techniques such as gradated printing (bokashi), embossing, and the use of metallic pigments and mica.