The Sparrow Dance (すずめ踊り, Suzume Odori)

This print illustrates two proverbs: “Suzume Odori” (“The Sparrow Dance”) and “Hyaku made odori wasurenu suzume kana” (“Even at a hundred years old, a sparrow never forgets its dance”). The first refers to a lively folk performance imitating sparrows, while the second means that ingrained habits remain for life. Kyosai combines them into a playful scene of sparrow-like dancers performing before amused onlookers, turning the proverb into a witty reflection on human constancy—what we learn early, we carry forever.

Kawanabe Kyōsai
Woodblock print, ca. 1863–1866
From the series: One Hundred Pictures by Kyōsai (暁斎百図, Kyōsai Hyakuzu)
Format: small-format sheet (koban-ban), first edition
Publisher: Wakasaya Yoichi (若狭屋与市)
Dimensions: approx. 13 × 18 cm
Medium: polychrome woodblock print (nishiki-e) on handmade washi paper
Edition & Printing Details
This sheet belongs to the first edition of Kyōsai Hyakuzu, published between 1863–1866.

Note
This description is part of an evolving research project. Very few collections of this kind exist worldwide, and each newly studied sheet refines our understanding of the series. The catalogue will be continuously updated and expanded — leaving room for fresh interpretations, new connections, and unexpected discoveries that keep the collection alive and intriguing.